Zoids: Lost Eden
by Saya no Kagami
Summary: Three girls, each following their own paths, find their fates entwined as they are swept by the flames of war and a dark secret, two years before the end of hostilities on ZAC 2109. Battle Story fic set in the NJR timeline with an all original cast.
1. Chapter 0 - Prologue

_(Disclaimer: I do not own the Zoids franchise. Copyright goes to Tomy for making this fantastic series. All that I own are this story, its characters and some concept Zoids that might appear.)_

 **Zoids: Lost Eden**

 **Chapter 0: Prologue**

* * *

A young girl stirs in the dead of night. Taking care not to wake anyone up, she immediately got dressed and was about to head downstairs when she caught sight of her ring, a golden ring that betrays her true identity. Sentiment caused her to reach for it but eventually decided against it. She had made up her mind to start a new life. And starting a new life meant leaving everything else behind: her past, her memories, and her family.

Sneaking down the stairwell, she carefully made her way down the stairs taking care not to get spotted by their butler who was doing his rounds. When he passed, the girl waited a while longer in the darkness until the faint light he carried vanished into the kitchen hallway. Then she bolted for the mansion's large doors and pushed it slightly open, making a characteristic creak as it did so. For a moment, it seemed that the sound was enough to wake everyone. But once the soft echo died down, silence reigned upon the ancient house once again. Her will growing, the girl forged on.

There was still a stretch of lawn to cross before she reaches the large iron gates and even then, the gates were guarded well, with two Rev Raptors standing guard on the left and right sides of the gate. She had anticipated this though and hid behind one of the nearby shrubs. The Raptors would have to make their rounds in a few minutes time, providing her with the small window she needs.

She was waiting for quite a while and was starting to doze off when one of the Raptors gave out a soft growl. Motioning to the other with its head, the two crossed paths and walked slowly along the stone walls with searchlights flashing down on the pavement below. The girl was alerted to this and waited just a bit more until the two moved to the back of the property. With the guards gone, she dashed to the stone wall and climbed as fast as she can. Her leg got scratched from a protrusion from the wall though, causing her to jerk away in pain and fall down the bushy pavement. Luckily, she had already made it to the other side while the Rev Raptors were just returning from their rounds. As her wounds were not as bad as it looked, she ran ahead until the mansion shrunk from her line of sight. Once she was in the clear, she took one last backward glance at the life she was leaving behind.

" _Goodbye Mom. Goodbye Dad."_

In the dead of night, the girl ran and ran until the rows of trees that lined the path to her home disappeared and she was greeted by the empty desert road. Stopping to catch her breath, she re-read a note she carried in her pocket until the sounds of a passing convoy alerted her yet again. Her journey was just about to begin.

* * *

 _In the far reaches of the galaxy, there existed a planet called Zi, home to large mechanical lifeforms known as Zoids. Zoids have been used in an ongoing war between the Helic Republic and the Zenebas Empire of Planet Zi._

 _The arrival of the Earth satellite Globally 3 had forever changed the course of the war, and both sides ended up in a technological arms race, creating more destructive Zoids, one after the other, culminating into the period known as the Devil's War; the battle that saw the advent of highly formidable Zoids like the Death Saurer and the Madthunder. A meteor strike in ZAC 2056 wiped much of this technological progress, forcing the two sides to rebuild from scratch._

 _Following the post-cataclysm, the war resumed on ZAC 2100 with both sides having renewed old forces and engineered new Zoids. Seven years later, ZAC 2107, the war between the two factions was still in full swing…_

* * *

"Evasive maneuver! Try to shake those bastards off!" The order resounded loudly from the speakers of the lead Gustav just in time before two shells nearly hit the rear convoy. "How many are we talking about here?"

The Gustav pilot glanced down at the radar and saw three signatures approaching with one appearing to be larger than the other two. Immediately, he ran a check to see if the signatures match any machines recorded in their database. "Sir, it seems we're being pursued by two Command Wolves and a Helic Shield Liger."

Within the cargo hold, an elderly officer grunted upon hearing the news. "Shield Liger? Well, this could get pretty dicey."

"It's been armed with heavy beam cannons." Everyone turned to a young woman looking out through her binoculars. "I don't think this is just a patrol unit that coincidentally caught sight of us. This force was obviously sent in to pursue this convoy."

"Have they figured out what we intend to do at Kalanes?" The officer asked again.

"Hard to say." The woman replied. Outside, the Command Wolves fired at the Gustav's trailer again. Even though none of the shots managed to cause any visible damage, everyone inside felt the shock of the blasts. "Captain, I don't think this unit will cease its pursuit any time soon—We should defeat them here and now! I'll head out in a Sabre Tiger!"

"Wait-" The Captain cut her off. "If your assumption is correct, then the enemy already has intel on the composition of the Zoids here. In that case, I don't think there's any need to hide our power any longer…" He muttered as he turned to face the young woman. "Warrant Officer Nagisa, launch in your own Zoid and take care of these rebels!"

"Yes sir!"

The Gustav convoy did not stop despite the shelling but it did slow down a little so that it doesn't ruin the launch preparation of Sakura Nagisa's Zoid. The cover on the side of the trailer opened to make way for the launch. Inside the cockpit, Sakura set to work on bringing her machine to life. The controls whirred and lights started flashing until the whole view of the hangar was displayed on her monitors. Her Zoid let out a growl as it shook any remains of its slumber off. She was now ready for battle.

"Sakura Nagisa, Geno Saurer launching!" With a single motion, the blue and gray Tyrannosaurus leapt down and charged its pursuers, its leg thrusters driving it at full force. " _Two Command Wolf LCs and a Shield Liger MK-II… I think I can handle them in two minutes."_ Sakura thought as she brought up her weapons panel.

The three Republican Zoids stopped running upon seeing the approaching Guylos Zoid. Immediately, the three all broke off in separate directions not to run but to avoid being wiped out by a single shot. Upon placing considerable distance with each other, the three Zoids started their attack, with the Wolves firing their main guns and the Shield Liger firing its Shock Cannons.

" _They're quite good-!"_ Sakura gritted her teeth as she maneuvered her Zoid away from the incoming shells. She immediately started counterattacking by simultaneously firing the Geno Saurer's Pulse Laser Rifles and Laser Guns in the direction of one of the Command Wolves. While the first Wolf was able to dodge the initial volley, Sakura managed to close the distance and defeat the Wolf with a swipe of her Zoid's claws. Sparing no moment, Sakura immediately got to work on defeating the second Wolf, by shooting it with her guns. Compared to the first, the second one wasn't too lucky and it immediately fell to the Geno Saurer's brutal ranged assault.

" _Now, only that Shield Liger remains…"_

The Shield Liger wasn't going to take things lying down as it continued assaulting Sakura with its Shock Cannons. Wanting to finish up already, Sakura charged it head on, slugging off the assault with her Zoid's armor. Having closed the distance, Sakura prepared her claws for a melee strike and accelerated but the Liger responded in time by jumping away as she passed. Making a sharp turn as it landed, the Liger shifted to its heavy beam cannons and fired at the Geno Saurer.

" _Come on-!"_ Immediately, Sakura pulled her Zoid away from the shots as she was sure those beams are capable of denting her prized armor. She tried closing in again but the Liger kept her at bay by barraging her with powerful shots, forcing her to engage in a shootout with her own rifles.

" _This guy's good-!"_ Sakura commended her opponent but finally, one of her shots managed to damage the Liger's heavy cannons.

"There-!" Seeing the opportunity, Sakura moved in to finish it off with her claws. The Shield Liger wasn't going down yet though. Immediately, it ejected the damaged cannons and activated its forward E-shield to also charge at Sakura. Not wanting to be damaged by the shock, Sakura pulled away again, which only served to make her opponent bolder as it immediately turned to charge at her direction again.

The seconds felt like hours as the two Zoids tried to land a hit on each other. Finally, Sakura was able to dodge the Liger's charge in a way that she was able to take advantage of the Liger's unshielded rear. Quickly, she launched the Geno Saurer's claws and grabbed the Liger's hind leg, pinning it to the ground. As the Liger stumbled down, Sakura resumed her long range barrage and didn't stop until the enemy Zoid gave out one last roar before dying down. The battle was over.

"That was a tough and clever opponent…" Sakura sighed as she wiped the sweat away from her forehead, brushing off a few strands of her hair away. She took one last look at the fallen Liger before speeding away to catch up with her allies.

* * *

When the Geno Saurer was gone, the Liger's pilot emerged from the cockpit of his fallen Zoid. Taking out a satellite radio, he relayed the outcome to his superiors.

"This is Lt. Itsuki reporting. The pursuit failed. The Imperial Convoy seems to be headed in the direction of Kalanes City further up north. All three of our Zoids are lost and- it seems I'm the only survivor…" He relayed with a heavy heart as he looked back on his dead comrades.

" _I'm sorry old friend… I'll get back at them for you next time!"_


	2. Chapter 1 - A Graverobber's Calling

_(Disclaimer: I do not own the Zoids franchise. Copyright goes to Tomy for making this fantastic series. All I own are this story, its characters and some concept Zoids that might appear.)  
_

 **Zoids: Lost Eden**

 **Chapter 1: A Grave Robber's Calling**

* * *

Further up north of the desert lays Kalanes City, a bustling market town built on an old Republican outpost base. Much of the old fortifications still stood in place, providing the whole area with its own barrier from external forces, be it the slow ravages of desert sandstorms or renegade outlaws looking to loot the place for any leftover military remains.

The city itself is quite huge and complex, with many narrow streets that make traveling by larger Zoids difficult. The most recognizable feature of the town is the Kalanes marketplace located towards the edge of town near an old maintenance hangar used during the Devil's War. All manner of goods can be found here, be it clothing and jewelry, food and antiques, even A.I units and weapons. Traders and scavengers constantly loiter around here, looking for the prospective buyer who will partake of some of their wares.

Seven miles outside the city is an ancient battleground ripe with the remains of many fallen Zoids. Usually an eerie sight in the evening, by day it is a busy place with scavengers and raiders going from one dead Zoid to another, taking whatever remains they are able to carry. They were grave robbers—defilers of the old battlegrounds. Not exactly the most honorable job but it is necessary should they wish to stay afloat in the difficult economy of the world.

"Hey, I hope you don't mind if I take some of your weapons~" A teenage girl greeted a dead Gordos, tapping its closed visor lightly as she did so. Had the Zoid been able to respond, it would've probably growled or worse, fired on the intruder but it was just an empty, metal shell right now. The girl started climbing the complex array of joints and pistons, working her way up a few steps at a time until she managed to reach the Zoid's railguns. Looking down below, she could see that one of the railguns had been buried in the sand. " _No biggie. One would still fetch quite the price…_ " With that, she set to work, hacking away at the connection ports with her portable tools.

By the time she was finished, the sun had already set and fewer people were wandering the stalls at the market. Upon seeing this, the girl sighed. She would just have to try her luck tomorrow.

"Hey Alyx! Clocking out for the night?" A robust man called out from behind the windows of a guardhouse by the market gates.

"Yeah. Taking off this railgun was a bit of a pain. I guess the old soldier didn't want to let go of it just yet." The girl Alyx replied, still dragging the salvaged railgun on top of an automatic mobile platform.

"Well, I suppose you do have your fair share of favorable coincidences." The man grunted as he stood up from the creaky chair he had been sitting in. "An Imperial convoy would be stopping by this area tomorrow."

"Sounds like a bunch of wealthy clients—what are they stopping here for?" Alyx asked.

"Probably some repairs and all that. War's been spreading even to far regions like this one." The man replied as he looked on towards the desert. "Some guys of ours left a couple of years ago. Said they'll fare better working in the military. Wonder where they are now?"

"I get what you mean." Alyx glanced at the makeshift bracelet she has on her left wrist which the man noticed.

"What is that anyway? You're always wearing it."

"This?" Alyx raises her wrist to the man. "It's a gift from an old friend. Haven't seen her for a while now."

"Why?"

"Same reason as everyone else you were talking about. She also left this place to look for greener pastures. I don't recall her wanting to be military though. It's already been seven years since then."

"You too huh?" The man muttered quietly before shaking the sad thoughts out of the conversation. "Anyway, you'll be coming along right?"

"Of course! Who wouldn't want to profit off some wealthy Imperials?" Alyx laughed as she headed out to turn in for the night, dragging the salvaged gun with her.

Her house was just a brisk fifteen minute walk away from the marketplace. Like the other scavengers, her house was just a simple, one-room warehouse that has been renovated into some studio apartment. It has some room for a small kitchen and bathroom but otherwise, most of it is open space which Alyx has filled with various parts and weapons she's accumulated over the years; all sorted neatly according to which parts fit which Zoids best.

"A Gunsniper's Missile Pods, a Liger's magnetic generator and now, the Gordos' 105 mm Railgun… Well, these should net me quite a huge amount~" Alyx grinned to herself for a moment before she slumped into an unenthusiastic frown. "But seeing that the Empire's got quite an ego, thinking that Republican tech is way inferior to theirs, I may not be able to sell any of these at all! Should I just give it a black and red paintjob and pretend that it's taken from an Imperial Zoid?" Alyx pondered over the marketability of her wares.

"Well, whatever." She sighs after a skimming through her stuff after a couple of minutes. Lying down in a hammock she put up near the left wall, she decides to just sleep for the night. _"I'll cross that bridge when I get there."_ She thought as her gaze wondered to the bracelet on her left arm. " _It's already been seven years Sakura… Will I ever see you again?"_

* * *

Alyx got up early the next morning to arrange her wares around the Kalanes marketplace. Fortunately for her, the management had taken to reserving spots for the regular merchants like her so as to avoid any squabbling over who gets which space. Nevertheless, she set out earlier than normal so that she can avoid the large crowd of vendors that will be flocking the place. With the help of a civilian-use Godos, she managed to set up shop and finish arranging the wares just a few minutes before sunrise.

"Now that's taken care of—" Alyx stretched as she looked at the humble shop she's put up. As expected, the components were painted to match the look of the Imperial Zoids. _"Well…not that the Imperial guys won't notice but, it can't hurt to try."_ Alyx smiled, feeling content at what she has set up so far. Glancing at the clock, she realized she still had a couple of hours before the convoy was expected to come rolling in.

"Better head home to freshen up a bit." Alyx thought to herself as she skipped all the way back to her house. "Wouldn't want to face my clients all sweaty and dirty after all!"

* * *

In the meantime, the Imperial convoy finally arrived. Several Gustav trailers lined up and upon presenting their registration, entered the city gates. As expected, most of their carriers needed some repair work but, most of the Zoids they were towing along were relatively unscathed. They docked at the marketplace, given that the place used to be a maintenance hangar. As the Captain alighted from the Gustav, the mayor of the city was already waiting for them.

"It's rather rare for us to receive passerby like you. It almost makes me suspicious." The mayor greeted with a sly smile.

"And it is an honor to be welcomed by the mayor himself. I really wasn't expecting this." The Captain likewise greeted, extending his hand to shake the mayor's. Immediately, his eyes fell on the rowdy crowd that awaited their arrival. "I can see that you've prepared quite a welcome party for us."

"Please forgive the unwanted attention—"The mayor cleared his throat as he apologized. "Word around here spreads fast. These merchants and scavengers flock military convoys like vultures once the word gets out. The people here have grown accustomed to acting as doormats for soldiers like you."

"I take it that they provide their services for the Republic as well?" The Captain started walking towards the hangar with the mayor trailing behind.

"Yes. However, that is their own personal business and not as a representative of Kalanes as a whole." The mayor assured the Captain as they continued towards the mayor's office. "So, shall we get down to business? Or would you like to take a rest in the meantime? I have various recreational facilities in my home." He offered but the Captain just shrugged his shoulders.

"I can't really see how I'll be able to relax with all the noise outside." He made a quick glance at the crowd before leaning his face close to the mayor's, speaking in a hushed voice so that no one else may overhear. "We can't tarry much longer. Although we managed to arrive in one piece, I can't help but assume the worst. I want to get this over with and depart as soon as we can. Trust me, it would be beneficial for the both of us."

The mayor nodded. The Captain rose up and gestured to his pilots. "I do want to give my team some reprieve though. Would you mind clearing away the crowd so they can move around without being berated with sales talk left and right?"

"Of course sir. Please, wait for me in my office while I sort this matter out." The mayor nodded before heading off to confront the gathering outside the marketplace. "I look forward to doing business with you, Captain Gregory Ash."

* * *

By the time Alyx returned to the stalls, a huge commotion of angry parts sellers have converged right at the entrance of the marketplace. The mayor's assistant was addressing the mob from behind the closed gates, obviously trying to pacify the crowd which was growing more agitated and impatient by the minute.

"Hey, what's going on?" Alyx asked somebody from the angry throng of people.

"Well, the mayor decided to lock us all out of the shop."

"What?!" Alyx gasped in surprise. "So we prepared all this for nothing?!"

"Apparently…"

Before adding to the multitude of voices shouting their distaste to the sudden announcement, Alyx walked a little closer towards the locked gates, trying to catch even a fraction of what the mayor's assistant was saying.

"I understand your frustration but, the Captain of that convoy himself requested that the marketplace to close down for today." He was immediately greeted with jeers and insults from the crowd. "Please, it's just for one day! Rest assured that all your wares will still be there once the market opens tomorrow so please just—" The situation obviously made the assistant feel uncomfortable as he stepped away from the gates and started running back towards the office.

"So there won't be any profit for us today." Alyx sighed. "The management probably just wants to keep it all for themselves. This isn't exactly the first time it happened." She recalled a similar incident a few months ago. A Republican convoy stopped by the place for repairs and resupply. Management immediately closed off the market, under the excuse that the soldiers ordered it themselves.

"Well, it looks like it's no excuse this time." The guard from last night approached Alyx. "Saw the mayor talking to the captain himself. From the looks of it, these guys seem to be in a rush so I doubt if they'll be taking their sweet time around our town. You guys won't be making a dime anyway, regardless if the market's open or not."

"Figures. Still, they should at least let us get our stuff. I for one don't want to go back tomorrow to see all the parts I worked hard to salvage and fix gone!"

"Nah, these Imperial troops won't steal them or anything. Besides, what would they do with your Republican components anyway?" The man teased Alyx who only responded with a shrug. The sounds of the trailers opening silenced the noisy crowd. The convoy was unloading their Zoids and leading them to the hangars for checkup. Lacking in stature, Alyx nimbly climbed up the guardhouse so she could get a better view of the Zoids the Imperial convoy was packing.

"Well? See anything impressive?" The guard called out to Alyx.

"Nothing I wasn't already expecting. I can see Red Horns and Rev Raptors and—oh, they've got a Sabre Tiger too." Alyx reported back. "Nothing out of the ordinary yet but, that's still an impressive array of Zoids. The Zoids are all equipped with state-of-the-art Imperial tech. I hate to say this but, I don't think these folks will be impressed with what we peddle around these parts."

"Hahaha!" The guard gave out a hearty laugh. "There's always next time kid. Now get down from there before you fall or something."

"I'll be down in just a sec—WHOAH!" Alyx suddenly gasped in surprise and so did the crowd. From the larger trailers, a deep bellow resounded, followed by a slight rumbling of the ground. Something big was alighting, prompting Alyx to stay and see what it was. A long, mechanical trumpet emerged first; then, the gleam of sharp, silver tusks. "I don't believe this!" Alyx exclaimed. "They've brought an Elephander with them!"

"That Zoid's got enough power to bring this entire fortress down by itself!" The guard was also awed at what he was seeing. "Rarely do we get travelers packing Zoids like these."

"Look!" One of the people in the mob suddenly pointed to another Zoid following the Elephander. It was a tall, bipedal Zoid. Although it was less armed than the behemoth ahead, its mere appearance was enough to silence and intimidate the angry mob. It let out a soft growl as it turned to look at the crowd before proceeding to the hangars.

"Geno Saurer…" It was the only words Alyx could mutter upon seeing the blue Tyrannosaurus follow the Elephander ahead. Although more powerful Zoids have emerged since it was first introduced, the Geno Saurer had still proven to be a terrifying foe in the battlefield, wiping out troops of lesser Zoids with its Charged Particle Cannon.

"Weapons like that can annihilate entire cities. But I wonder? What could these troops be doing in this town? I highly doubt they're here just for repairs and sightseeing. From what I heard, the damage was done by a Republican scout force. I can only guess what happened to those unfortunate souls that tried it."

"Don't tell me you're getting another bad feeling from this old man?" Alyx asked with a groan. She jumped down from the roof, landing just a few feet away from the man.

"Well—" Before he can finish answering, another cry was heard from the hangars. Fortunately, it seemed to be coming from the pilots this time. "What's going on over there?" He wondered.

"Maybe someone was injured? Or their equipment went haywire." Alyx suggested as she caught up to the man's pace. From the wire gate that isolated the marketplace from the rest of town, Alyx saw a hooded figure darting away from the Zoids and trailers, running off to the direction of the loading bay where the convoy came in. A couple of Imperial soldiers were following but they were unarmed and as such, were not able to apprehend whoever that person was.

"I guess those proud Imperials have their own security quirks as well." Alyx laughed to herself. " _That person was probably a thief who managed to slip through the confusion and steal something."_ she assumed. Seeing that the matter no longer concerned her, Alyx turned to leave, deliberately walking in the direction that will afford her a better view of the Zoids.

Aside from the Geno Saurer, which had already vanished into the dark corridors, the Imperial troops have also brought in a Dark Spiner and a Liger Zero. Alyx had heard about the capabilities of these two Zoids but the Liger Zero caught her attention more. For one, its eyes were blue and its armor was a combination of light gray and black. Aside from the eyes, it looked more similar to the Republican model than the red and gold one fielded by the Imperial army.

It was a minor detail but for some reason, it bothered Alyx. It almost seemed like a premonition of sorts. And it didn't seem to be a good one.

* * *

"What a great way to start our short vacation!" An Imperial pilot yelled out as their group walked around town. Her tone was that of obvious sarcasm, garnering mixed reactions from her fellow pilots.

"Captain's orders Vishna." An older woman addressed the short-tempered, silver-haired girl. She paused for a bit to look at the houses that dotted the landscape of Kalanes City, watching the people move through their open windows. Seeing nothing that was of any interest, she continued. "I can't believe a stowaway managed to get on though. I mean, what in the world were the guards doing?"

"They were probably dozing off!" The girl called Vishna scoffed. "Why do we have to clean up after their mess? That stowaway had better not stolen any components from my Zoid or else!"

"We get it now calm down." Another girl answers Vishna. "Look, it is possible that this stowaway was already with us even before we left for this city. It's no one's fault. After all, we're all just tired here. Anyway, it doesn't seem as if she had stolen anything. Otherwise she wouldn't have gotten away that fast."

"I agree but—" Vishna tries to protest but decides against it as she scratches her head. "It's just annoying. What if it's a spy from the Republic? Then our whole mission's over!"

"No, I doubt they have that capacity." The other girl replies. A few more minutes of walking and they soon reach a fork in the road. Before any one of them could get it in their heads to split up the search, she urged them towards the right path: the one that leads near the upper sections of the city.

"And why should we take this road?" Vishna asked again, out of curiosity.

"Just stop complaining for five minutes okay, Vishna?" The oldest of the three pilots spoke up. Vishna turned to meet her gaze.

"But Seral-!"

"Look, I know our day off has been grounded but—look on the bright side!" The woman Seral explained. "If we finish this mission quick, we may still have enough time to grab a quick break before we leave." She turned to their other companion who had already walked on ahead of them. "Sakura grew up here. I don't see any reason to doubt her now."

"She was from Kalanes huh?" Vishna sighed as she continued walking.

* * *

With nothing to do for the day, Alyx loitered around the food stalls, munching on some local fruit she bought for a snack. It was still early in the afternoon to head home but the city itself was lacking in any form of recreational services. Yawning, she discarded the remains of the fruit in a waste basket and started walking, heading into nowhere in particular.

Passing by the gossiping residents, she overheard a conversation between some men playing a board game under a shabby wooden pavilion. She recognized them to be scavengers like her so she walked a little closer, managing to catch wind of what they were talking about.

"Dude, I'm serious! There were three of them, walking around earlier! You should have seen them, they were so hot!" One of the boys gushed. His friend didn't seem too impressed with what he was saying though, judging from the expression on his face.

"Yeah right…"

"Oh come on! You should've seen the way they were walking around. It's like they were lost or something. I would've volunteered to help them out then, show them a good time you know? But one of them seemed to be familiar with the city so I didn't get that chance…Arrgghhh!"

"Boohoo." The other guy sarcastically replied, sipping a glass of iced water. Just then, Alyx approached the duo.

"Hey, what's going on? Why's he all slumped up?"

"Hey Alyx…" The friend greeted. "This bozo's here thought he could hit on some Imperial chicks passing by."

"Oh come on man! Stop rubbing salt in my wounds! At least not in front of Alyx…"

"They must be from that convoy back at the market." Alyx explained. "I think something was stolen from them. Those girls must have been sent to look for it."

"Yeah, well…" The other guy stood up, dusting off the crumbs of his shirt. "What else is new? I'm more interested in the recent wreck that turned up around fifteen miles from here."

"Fifteen miles? That's quite a ways off our usual turf. What kind of Zoids are there?"

"Two Command Wolves and a Shield Liger."

"Doesn't sound too fancy." Alyx sighed.

"These Zoids aren't the antiques we dig out from the ground. Based from what I heard from the witnesses, these Zoids are unfortunate casualties of a recent battle that took place. Only yesterday in fact." Upon hearing these details, Alyx felt a new surge of excitement within her.

"You mean…these are the Republican troops that ambushed the Imperial convoy in town?"

"Seems like it. So, are you coming with us? We'll leave in the evening. Can't let those soldiers catch wind of this. They may accuse us of helping their enemies."

"Of course! Who knows, maybe we can fix one up real good and use it ourselves!" Thrilled by the notion that she might finally get her own Zoid, Alyx darted back to the direction of her house, waving to the other scavengers. "I just need to get my tools. I'll be over there in a second!"

Upon arriving, she immediately unlocked the huge panels that covered the entrance, flipping on the light so she could see better while she gathers up her tools. Instead, she was greeted by a different kind of surprise once the light flooded the room.

"What the-?" Alyx gasped as she saw broken shards of glass scattered throughout the floor. One of her windows was broken, some of the equipment she hanged overhead were lying on the ground. From the looks of it, it seemed as if she was robbed. She immediately scanned the room for any lead or trace of the intruder. On the corner near the door, a girl was hunched over, tending to the wounds on her legs. From the color of her clothes, she recognized her to be the same person being chased by the Imperial soldiers.

"How dare you break in here!" Alyx angrily stormed up to the girl. Grabbing her by the collar, she lifted her up until their eyes met. She seemed to be around Alyx's age as well. "Not content with whatever you stole from those soldiers? Well, you're not taking any-!"

"Please!" The girl pleaded, still exhausted from running. "Let me hide out here for a while…I-I didn't take anything from yours. Nor theirs."

Remembering the wounds on her legs, Alyx let the girl go so she can tend to her wounds. Glancing outside, she checked to see if anyone had followed them there. Seeing that there was no one around, she immediately closed the door to conceal her unexpected visitor.

"If you're no thief then why are those people chasing you?" Alyx began interrogating.

"Obviously because they think I am." The girl replied without looking up, still concerned with bandaging her leg. "I stowed away on their convoy since I needed a ride. No matter what, I needed to get here. Otherwise—" The girl gave out a long, exhausted sigh. "Otherwise, even I may not be able to prevent it from spreading."

"Prevent what from spreading?" Alyx asked, concerned over the mysterious girl's words.

"War."

* * *

 **Writer's Note:** Well, here it is! Lost Eden has officially started~

I'll run this little segment on each chapter. This segment will contain information and backdrop about various items and events within the story. First up is Kalanes City. It is a completely made-up town as the scan of the Zi continent map I found was rather spotty. Plus, I can't read Japanese. Expect more made-up cities to pop up some time during the story.

For those who aren't familiar with the Battle Story, the Battle Story are a series of narratives included with the original Zoids model kits (That Japanese wall of text on the boxes? That's it-I think.). Some sources say that only the Japanese release boxes have them though, which makes me rather fortunate as Zoids here all use the Japanese Boxes. This story is set within the timeline of the NJR or New Japanese Release which includes models issued from 1999 up to the Three Tiger's Storyline. (Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong though)

Anyway, that's all for now. See you in the next chapter!

Credits to: The Iron Bible and Phenotype Zoids Forum. That' where I get most of my info.


	3. Chapter 2 - The Blue-Eyed Liger

_(Disclaimer: I do not own the Zoids franchise. Copyright goes to Tomy for making this fantastic series. All I own are this story, its characters and some concept Zoids that might appear.)_

 **Zoids: Lost Eden**

 **Chapter 2: The Blue-Eyed Liger**

* * *

"War? What do you mean?" Alyx asked the intruder, a legitimate look of concern plastered on her face. All this time, she knew it would spread even to cities like theirs. She just didn't expect it to occur this soon.

"Exactly that." The intruder stood up, having finished wrapping up her bloodied and wounded leg. "The fighting between the Neo-Zenebas and the Republic won't be stopping anytime soon. In fact, it's only bound to get worse as time passes. This city—" The girl looked out the window, taking in the sight of all the houses and the people living in it. "From the looks of it, you haven't seen any major battles on this soil."

"Kalanes likes to maintain its neutrality, even if it meant acting as doormats whenever soldiers wander around here." Alyx answered with a sigh. The girl simply shrugged as she headed for the door. Before she could open it, Alyx blocked her path.

"If you value the peaceful life you lead in this city, you will let me go!" The girl's tone was devoid of any hint of anger but her eyes were defiant in an almost authoritative way. Nevertheless, Alyx refused to budge from her position.

"Yeah, I understand all right?" Alyx snapped back. "You said you could stop it from spreading to this city. How exactly?" Alyx asked partly out of concern than curiosity. For a while, the girl hesitated to reply. However, once she realized that Alyx wasn't intending on moving out of the way before she got her answer, she was left with no choice.

"Right now, an exchange is ongoing." The girl started, staring down at her feet as she speaks. "Captain Gregory Ash, the leader of this force composed of remnants from the Guylos Empire had received orders to retrieve a powerful Zoid Core excavated from this city. In exchange, the local government at Kalanes would receive Zoids and armaments. Why the Kalanes government needs these resources, I don't know." The girl finished, leaving Alyx more confused than enlightened.

"I still don't get it…" Alyx wondered, growing more and more intrigued with her mysterious visitor. "Wait—how do you plan on stopping the exchange?"

For a moment, the girl found herself unable to speak. Alyx had raised a rather important point. She had a couple of ideas but, even she felt that they were inadequate. It was still worth a shot though.

"I thought about getting to the mayor first and convincing him otherwise but, seeing as that's impossible now, I may have to sabotage their plans and blow up the convoy!"

"And how do you plan on doing that? You obviously don't have any weapons on you. And from your looks, I doubt you're a Zoid pilot either." Alyx countered back.

"I don't care! Anything's better than sitting around doing nothing!" The girl flared up, the passion rising in her voice. "Seven years ago, we made the terrible mistake of not acting when we could. Now that it's about to happen again—I just don't want another tragedy from occurring again! That's why-!"

"Hmmm…" Alyx sank into her thoughts. " _From the sounds of it, what she wants to do seems really important for her…But why?"_ Somehow Alyx felt a sense of admiration for the girl and her strong will. "Well, attacking head-on is out of the question. And sabotage isn't going to work when we can't get to the convoy—hell, we don't even have any explosives here!"

"If you can get me inside the mayor's office, I may be able to do something else." The girl suggested. "Of course, I can provide you with compensation…assuming we live through the night, of course."

"Okay!" Alyx leapt up with enthusiasm. "I just need to get you inside right? Leave it to me!" Glancing out the window, Alyx scanned the place to make sure no one suspicious or military was wondering about. Seeing that the coast was clear, she motioned for the girl to follow her, locking her house's doors as they made their way around the alleyways.

"We'll have to take a longer route. It's going to be a rather tiring walk but, at least there won't be any guards waiting." She informed the girl who simply nodded.

"I don't mind. I'll take any route if I can."

"We'll have to take some unpaved passes near the orphanage. I hope you brought good walking shoes~"

It was an uphill walk so the two trudged on rather slowly in order to conserve their stamina and to avoid suspicion though the girl traveled with her hood on. Apart from the small exchange back at Alyx's house, neither of them had spoken to each other in the last few minutes. They entered an alley just as a passing jeep drove down the direction from where they came.

"Where are you leading me?" The girl spoke up first, wondering about the course Alyx had led her to.

"Back when we were young, we always snuck around the mayor's office to steal some snacks and see some Zoids." Alyx recalled a fond memory. She turned to a girl, a half-smile formed on her face. "You can't really blame us you know? After all, we were just orphans who didn't know any better. Plus, the food at the orphanage was horrible."

"You're—an orphan?"

"Yeah but—" Alyx paused a little as she climbed up a steep arrangement of rocks upon reaching another fork in the road. Upon reaching the top, she helped the girl up by holding her hand and guiding her across the steps. From there, they continued. "It's not like I witnessed my parents die or anything. I actually haven't met them at all. The sisters at the orphanage used to tell me that they just found me at their doorstep one day. The other kids had it worse."

At this time, the sun had started changing color, dyeing the ground in a brilliant orange hue. Alyx and her visitor stopped to rest for a little, using large slabs of stone as makeshift chairs. They were now on one of the city's natural barriers, located near the marketplace. Below, they can see the tops of various structures and establishments.

"There!" Alyx pointed to a peculiar looking bungalow near the vicinity of the mayor's mansion. "That's the orphanage where I grew up."

"Sounds tough…" The girl murmured as she sat next to Alyx, taking in the breathtaking sight of Kalanes City as seen from a bird's eye view.

"It was at first. Then Gantz, the old man by the marketplace found me. He was the one who trained me to be a scavenger, gave me some work and shelter. You can only stay at the orphanage until you're eighteen. Then you move out. " Alyx fondly recalled. "I moved out when I was fourteen. I've been living as a scavenger since then."

"That explains the Zoid parts in your house."

"Yeah." Alyx felt a little embarrassed, letting the girl see how cluttered her house was. To take her mind off of it, she pointed down a narrow pass that leads to a small cluster of trees right behind the orphanage. "See that tiny pathway there? The one obscured by those trees? You can climb a small rock formation to get to the ledge over there. Then you just have to slide down until you get to the wire fence that surrounds the mayor's mansion. It looks intimidating but, there is a loose patch that you can easily fit into to get in and out without arousing suspicion."

"And that's how we can get in—I see." The girl leaned a little closer, trying to memorize the details that Alyx told her. "Hey?"

"What?"

"What's your name, scavenger?" The girl asked Alyx with a smile.

"I'm Alyx. Alyx Ledesma." Alyx extended a hand to the girl. "And you're-?"

The girl paused for a while, striking Alyx as a little odd. "My name's…Naruse." The girl answered but somehow, her reply seemed forced. Like she was hiding something.

"Yeeaahh…Pleasure to meet you Naruse!" Nevertheless, Alyx's mind did not change. With her mission being so important, it is understandable that she would be taking precautions of her own. And if Alyx can help her realize it, then she would.

* * *

The town guard stationed at Kalanes yawned for the nth time. Keeping watch of a neutral city is a boring task. Other than the occasional bandits or local offenders, they never really get much action. Perhaps it was the main reason why they haven't been allocated any new Zoids. Best they had in their arsenal was an urban-combat Command Wolf and even that Zoid's starting to show its age.

"I doubt any bandit will try their luck now. Not with the Imperial army in town." The guard muttered to himself before taking out a flask of liquor from his coat pocket. Drinking on the job was prohibited but so what? It's not like the firm's got anybody to replace him if he's fired. Hell, no one was even looking out for him.

 _Creak…_

A sound suddenly surprised him, spitting a mouthful of sweet-smelling liquor on the pavement. Immediately, he hid the flask back in its hiding spot and spun around, expecting to see another guard with a look on the face that says "I got you now!" But he didn't. There was no one behind him. Just in case, he took out the binoculars and radar, making a quick sweep of the area. There by the other side of the fence was a loose wind vane. It was making a characteristic creak as the wind blew by. Relieved, he didn't bother with the radar anymore, going back to his drink.

In his half-asleep state and drunken haze, the guard failed to see the shadow of a small Zoid leap silently over the protective barrier of the city, nimbly moving around the jagged rocks with ease, thanks to its light frame. The Zoid was a Saberlion, a lightweight Republican Zoid designed for quick in and out operations. It was painted in a light shade of brown, possibly to better utilize the arid environment it was traversing.

The Saberlion encircled the rocks, finding a sweet spot to camp out as it observed the Imperial troops from a safe distance thanks to the strength of its sensors. From within the cockpit, the pilot adjusted the sights gently, taking quick snapshots of the city's layout. A soft vibration echoed throughout the cockpit, informing him of an incoming transmission. Taking off his attention from the city, he switched the panel to receiver mode. A woman with dark brown hair appeared on the screen.

"Alexander to Saber 2, do you read me?" The woman on the Zoid's screen asked.

"This is Saber 2. I have found our target." The pilot responded back, glancing back at the direction of the Kalanes marketplace. "Target seems to have holed up inside the remains of an old hangar. I've yet to ascertain their true objectives. I'm sending the images I've taken now."

"Hmm…" The woman thought for a moment as she reviewed the image files. "Well? What do you think Lieutenant? Would it be wise to launch an attack now? While they are recovering their strength?"

"Negative." The pilot objected. "The place is too dense. We will never be able to fight efficiently here. Plus, collateral damage would be overwhelming once our forces exchange fire, what with the firepower our enemy is packing."

"But if we wait too long, we may never get the chance to stop them which will only further the Viscount's ambition. In any case…" The woman turned back to the files she received, catching wind of two important details she found interesting. "The main gate seems like the only way in and out, at least if you're traveling using Zoids."

"True."

"All right, how does this sound? We find a way to flush out the enemy; force them out of the city. In the meantime, we will deploy our forces around the perimeter outside the main gate. When they head out, we'll attack them."

"Sounds reasonable but, how do we ensure that no civilians will be harmed?"

"On the map you sent to us, there is a building labeled "Disaster Control and Detection Office". My guess is that it facilitates the warning and evacuation alarms should anything of that sort break out in this city. We just have to trigger it so the residents will run to the shelters." The woman presented the plan to the pilot. "The timing would have to be precise. The alarms should sound off within minutes of alerting the Imperial army. That way, everyone could get to safety before the fighting breaks out outside."

"All right. How do we flush the Imperial Army out?" The pilot raises a single but vital point regarding the operation.

"Actually…I thought I'll leave that for you and your Zoid to figure out, Lieutenant Itsuki." The woman replied with a sly smile. "Of course, I will take the liberty of preparing your last will and testament in the meantime, should you be unable to return. Maybe I'll even throw in a promotion."

"Figures. Heh, you always like leaving the hard stuff to me don't you Captain?" The pilot laughed, sensing the humor in his superior's voice.

"Thought you could use the exercise." The woman laughed before returning to her earlier formal air. "Our forces will land in 0200 hours. Prepare yourself until then."

"Roger." With that said, the woman disconnected from the line, leaving Itsuki and his Zoid alone. With the limited time, he has to find a way to proceed with the plans all by himself. Taking one last survey from the convenient vantage point, he prepared to go down the city, avoiding detection if possible. A pair of figures making their way towards the back of the mayor's home caught his eye though.

" _Hmm…? What are those girls doing over there?"_

* * *

"In the end, we weren't able to find our intruder… Man! This is so annoying!" Vishna complains loudly as she took her seat on the bench. They made a complete sweep of the surrounding areas yet the intruder was nowhere to be found. Seral had gone out to do an inventory to see if there was anything important stolen so it was just her and Sakura in the room. Sakura, on the other hand, had taken to knitting a small doll, meticulously twisting threads together to form a certain shape. Vishna couldn't help but notice.

"What's done is done Vishna." Sakura started, not looking up from what she was doing. "It's not like anything will change if you whine about it now."

"Sorry, whining about things is kind of like my hobby. I mean, it's not like I know how to do anything else outside of piloting a Zoid…Which reminds me—" Vishna walked over to Sakura and took the piece she was working on. "Why would you try to learn something like this?"

"It's so I'll have something else to live off on—" Sakura replied, taking back the item. "—when this war ends anyway…"

"Do you really believe it will?"

"I hope so."

"Vishna! Sakura!" Seral suddenly burst into the room, calling for the two girls. "Good news or bad news?"

"I could use some good news first—if only to stop Vishna's whining." Sakura replied.

"Okay. Good news is that nothing appears to be stolen. Everything's still intact."

"And the bad?"

"Bad news is our day off is completely grounded. We've been ordered to stand by in our Zoids. They're about to commence the transfer now while we are still in the hangar. We can't overlook the possibility of a Republican guerilla strike though."

"I don't see how that's too bad." Vishna stretched her arms. "I prefer killing time inside the Sabre Tiger anyway. Well, I'm off!" She waved to her two friends before heading out.

"Finally some peace and quiet…Should I roll out the Geno Saurer?" Sakura asked. "It might unnerve the residents to see it prowling around town.

"Sakura…" Seral stroked Sakura's hair. Of course she would be worried. It was her old home after all. "Okay, you can take the rear. I'll switch your place with Vishna. She'll…probably complain about it later on."

"Thanks."

"By the way—" Seral wondered. "Don't you want to stop by the orphanage? Just say hello for old time's sake?"

Sakura looked a lot gloomier upon this suggestion. "Maybe next time…My old friends are probably gone anyway. Plus, I told them that I don't want anything to do with this war. It wouldn't be right to visit them now."

"Sakura…"

* * *

"Well, here we are! Though there seem to be more guards now than when I last visited this place." Alyx whispered quietly, taking care not to get caught. She and Naruse had gone down the ledge and passed through the fence, right into the mayor's property. Right now, they were crouched behind some barrels as some guards were making their rounds.

"I can see the convoy from here—damn! The core is already loaded inside!" Naruse cursed herself. She did not anticipate the Captain to hurry. "But if they can't get that core inside the body, it won't be of any use…"

"Hmmm? Did you say something Naruse?" Alyx asked, having heard Naruse's mumbling.

"Nothing. There's still one more thing I need to do." Naruse turned to face Alyx. "Thanks for the help. I'll take over things from here on. You go back."

"Are you crazy? Walking in there without any form of protection? You may not have noticed but there's a Sabre Tiger guarding the place!" Alx protested.

"Well then, what are we going to do?! If we just stand around, it will be too late to stop anything!"

"Wait, let me think…" Alyx looked around the place. Some of the Zoids they use for maintenance were docked on one side. " _They were probably used to help move this core Naruse was talking about…"_

"Okay! I got it!" Alyx turned back to Naruse. "How about I cause a ruckus while you slip inside?"

"You can do that?"

"Yeah, just leave it to me!" Alyx replied with much enthusiasm before running off, probably to cause that distraction she was talking about.

" _Take care Alyx…"_ Naruse took one last glance at the convoy. The guards weren't paying much attention to the surroundings. It was her chance to slip in.

* * *

" _I'm sorry friend…Though you haven't been with me long; I appreciate what you've done for us so far. May the winds bear you to better places…"_ Itsuki utters a short prayer under his breath as he waits for the right moment to press the detonator he held in his hands. He was now at the Disaster Building, waiting for the right time to trigger the alarm. On the other hand, the one he was praying for, his Saberlion, was hidden among the Kalanes maintenance team's Zoids. He was able to convince the management to repair his Zoid on the condition that they'll repair it outside the marketplace in order to avoid a ruckus. Hidden within the Zoid was a module that will trigger its self-destruct sequence.

" _A tiny explosion like this will normally go unnoticed…However, the density of the place along with the presence of other Zoids should multiply the effects, forcing the Imperial army to take notice. I just need to trigger the alarm in order to vacate the premises in order to safely trigger the device. That way, the only casualty is my own Zoid…"_

Even still, Itsuki felt some regret over this decision. It wasn't an honorable thing to do, especially for a Zoid pilot. Abandoning his Zoid is the biggest shame he could face. Not that it was anything new anyway. An incoming encrypted call came over from his radio.

" _Alexander to Saber 2, we have deployed our forces. All we await now is your signal."_

"This is Saber 2. Triggering the sequence in three minutes." Itsuki replied, walking over to the control panel. _"Well, here goes nothing…"_

Before he could begin the countdown though, an alarm went off in the marketplace near the mayor's house. Using his binoculars, he zoomed in on what appears to be a civilian-use Godos rampaging through the hangars. It carried a mining pile driver which it was using to hit various structures.

"Alexander, this is Saber 2, standby for a change in timing. Something unexpected has happened."

" _Copy that."_

* * *

"Somebody help me stop this thing!" Alyx yelled from inside the cockpit of the Godos she was riding; the same Godos that was reported to have gone haywire. Only…it wasn't going berserk on its own. Alyx was deliberately piloting it so that it looked mad and out of control.

"Alyx! Can you try overriding the commands from your end?" The team from the ground called out, taking cover behind some barrels, obviously buying into Alyx's whole setup.

"Sorry! This Zoid's gone completely off the deep end! It's not responding to my commands at all!" Alyx replied while her fingers brought up the weapons panel and selected the beam guns. "Uh, guys? I think this Godos is going to shoot at something."

"Take cover!" The ground team ran out as the Godos turned to face the trailer where the core Naruse mentioned was loaded. Before it could fire any of its shots though, the Sabre Tiger leapt up and got in the way of the shot, even if Alyx didn't intend to hit it in the first place. As if it sensed her intentions, the Sabre Tiger charged and knocked the Godos over, disabling it without causing harm to the pilot inside. For safe measure, it placed one of its paws down on the Godos' frame, pinning it down and preventing it from moving.

"Godos pilot, do you read? Get out of that Zoid now!" The Tiger's pilot called out through the medium of her Zoid's radio. From the voice, Alyx could tell the pilot was a girl. Probably around her age as well.

"Whew! That was close. Hey, thanks! I owe you one for this! Let me just get out of this seatbelt—" Alyx feigned gratitude as she unbuckled herself. As a last measure, she cut off some of the wires inside the Godos' cockpit before getting out.

" _I've done all I can Naruse. The rest is up to you…"_

Outside the Zoid, Alyx saw the Sabre Tiger's cockpit open and a silver haired girl jumped down. She had fierce features that reminded Alyx of a small tigress of sorts, with her hair tucked in a high ponytail. They have the same hair color, though Alyx's was noticeably a lighter shade that almost looked white. For a moment, she wondered if this girl was a missing blood relative of hers.

"Hey! What the hell were you thinking running amok like that?!" The girl confronted Alyx who just shrugged.

"I don't know, ask him!" Alyx answered back while pointing at the Godos. "I just got into the cockpit and was about to take this baby home for a while when—BOOM! It suddenly went wild! You sure it's not a problem on your end? Maybe you were testing your Dark Spiner's Jamming Blade and—well, you know."

"Impossible. The Dark Spiner's in the hangar, taking a nap." The girl replied, stroking her hair as she surveyed the surrounding area. Alyx had caused quite a ruckus alright, what with all the upturned mobiles and consoles plus a few barrels rolling over.

" _Vishna! What's going on there?!"_ A voice called from the girl's radio.

"Technical problem on one of the maintenance Godos." She replied. "The situation's been sorted out. Resume your patrol duty."

" _Roger that."_

* * *

A few kilometers away from the marketplace, a pair of Red Horns was on patrol duty near the gates; the narrow roads making it difficult for the big Zoids to maneuver, limiting their use and capability.

"Seral! The Red Horns are not suited for this kind of terrain. I'm heading outside the gate and resuming my patrol there, where this Zoid may actually be of any use."

"Roger. By the way, what was that ruckus back at the base?" Seral asked, maneuvering her Zoid to turn the other way.

"Oh, nothing. A maintenance Godos just went haywire. Vishna's got it under control though. No problem."

"Alright. I'm heading back to base though. I've been out for the last seven hours already!" Seral laughed as she bade her ally goodbye.

"Sure thing." The other Red Horn pilot waved back before terminating communications as he headed out. From there, the sprawling desert greeted him with an eerie emptiness that could only be described as disturbing. His sensors in full power, the Red Horn proceeded to walk around the area, taking care not to trigger any possible mines or Sleepers along the way. From within the sand dunes though, the wary eyes of other Zoids watched.

"Saber 2, there is a Red Horn outside the city. Is it time?" One of the watchers asked over the radio.

" _Negative! Do not engage yet! But continue to monitor its movements. There is another one making rounds in the city. Wait until it has returned to base."_

"Roger." The pilot sighed as he continued to observe the Red Horn.

Meanwhile the Red Horn pilot continued with his rounds. Nothing out of the ordinary so far. There were some odd tracks on the sand from Zoids, which seems similar in size to his, leftover from a previous excursion but—

"Hmm?" The pilot suddenly felt suspicious of the tracks. There were far too many to be from his Zoid alone. And there was no way it was from their convoy either. The eerie silence made it all the more suspicious. In order to finally get to the bottom of things, he brought up the thermal radar and what he saw in the monitor chilled his bones.

"H-Heat signatures?! From under the sand?" He immediately ran a check to see if any of the signatures matched any Zoids in their database. The resulting analysis only confirmed the worst. " _Helic Zoids? Don't tell me they already had us surrounded?!"_

Despite this, he continued to act like nothing was out of the ordinary. He was badly outnumbered and his comrades were too far away. Even his Red Horn won't stand a chance in this encounter. Should he try to call for aid? No, they might intercept communications. A sudden shift in the sand caused him to instinctively retaliate though, blowing his own feint.

"Damn it all!" The pilot cursed as he continued barraging the enemy Zoid in the sand, reducing it to a pile of smoking scrap metal resembling the shape of a Command Wolf. Multiple gunshots fired from different directions around the Red Horn, some even managing to damage the Zoid's armor. Left with no other choice, he decided to run ahead, get himself further away from the city if he can.

"Captain, bad news! Helic has already got us surrounded!" The pilot furiously called over his radio, relaying the message to his allies. As he looked up from the panel, he was surprised by the appearance of a Shield Liger on his left flank. Before he could face it though, the Liger rammed his Red Horn with the full force of its E-shield.

"Gah!" The pilot coughed as he struggled to get his Zoid into balance. Taking aim at the Zoid that rammed him, he was about to fire his Linear Cannon when another Liger rammed him again, this time on the right flank. The two Zoids continued pummeling the Red Horn with their hit-and-run tactics, wearing it down until electrical sparks flew from the Imperial Zoid's joints.

"B-Bastards…" Inside the cockpit, the pilot gritted his teeth which had now been stained with blood. In a final act of desperation, he drove the Red Horn straight on into the path of one of the Shield Ligers: A MK-II model equipped with heavy beam cannons, determined to bring it down with him. "For the glory of Guylos!" He shouted out, charging at the enemy Zoid with its Crasher Horn.

The Liger wasn't having it though. Taking aim with the cannons, it fired first at the Red Horn's legs, bringing it down to the ground before finally delivering the killing blow with a shot to the cockpit.

From atop the building, Itsuki observed the events as they happened. Realizing that their original plan is now ruined, he pressed the evacuation alarm and threw away the detonator. He needed to get to the Saberlion fast.

* * *

"What?!" Captain Ash was enraged upon hearing the last words of the Red Horn he sent on patrol. "We've already been located by the Republican Army. Is there any way we can get out of here aside from the main gate?" He asked the mayor, who was busy decoding an encrypted file on his computer.

"Behind my house is a wall of rocks which used to be a large hole that compromised our natural barriers. You can escape through that route which leads to a narrow mountain path, if you can blast through the rocks." The mayor replied, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

"No problem, we've got Zoids that are up to the task." Captain Ash turns to the computer. "Is it going to take longer?"

"A few more minutes unfortunately. The protection on this file is too complex even for our computer systems."

"Damn that Daemon! He surely knows how to lead us on!" The Captain cursed a certain man.

"Incoming message Captain." A rather gruff looking soldier called his attention. The display revealed Sakura Nagisa in the cockpit of her Geno Saurer.

"I heard what happened." She started. "Should I head out there and buy us some time?"

"Yes, that would be excellent." Captain Ash agrees with the idea. "But remember to engage them only in melee. We don't want any unnecessary casualties from this encounter."

"Understood sir." With that Sakura signed off, leaving the others to their own devices.

"It's done." The mayor called the Captain's attention.

"Really?" Captain Ash walked over to see what was on the screen. It appears to be the blueprints of a large Zoid and what seems to be map data on where to find it. "Copy everything to our database. We need to get out of here and—huh?"

Suddenly, the vent cover on the ceiling popped off and Naruse jumped down, wearing clothes which they recognized as the intruder's. Her hood was down though, allowing the Captain to see her face, which he recognized.

"Y-you're-?!

Without much as a reply, the girl turned and saw the data in the computer. Taking an office chair in both hands, she brought it down on the device with all her strength, smashing it into pieces, much to the mayor's shock.

"You fool! Do you not understand your position?! Now that you've interfered with the Viscount's plans-!" Captain Ash yelled as he drew out his gun.

"I'm here precisely because I understand my position!" Naruse shouted defiantly, catching the attention of everyone in the room. "The Viscount's plan only serves to drive this war into even more chaos! I am not about to let another tragedy happen agai-!"

"The Viscount's plan is the only salvation left for those who were abandoned and dishonored like us! Your interference will only make the situation worse for the other remnants forced to serve under Neo-Zenebas!" Captain Ash argued back.

"Then might I ask if any of you know the full extent of his plan?" Upon this question, the entire room fell silent. Naruse noticed the gun the Captain had drawn.

"Calm down young lady…" The mayor stepped in. "We may not understand everything now but, everything will come in due time. This is the path your family chose to take as well-!"

"I am not acting on behalf of my family!" Naruse angrily declared before leaping up and jumping down through the window, covering her face with her arms to protect against the glass shards. Managing to land safely on the soft garden below, she ran on, hoping to somehow escape with her life.

"What a disaster-!" The Captain gritted his teeth in anger. "We're getting out of here! Tell Sakura to hold on for a little while longer! Gerard, you and I will blast through that wall!" Captain Ash orders the other soldier before turning to the mayor. "Thank you for everything sir…I am truly sorry for the damage we've caused to your city."

"Don't mind it." The mayor replied. "It was all bound to come crashing down on us sooner or later. Shame I wasn't able to offer you some of our finest offerings though."

Captain Ash chuckled. "Maybe next time sir—if I'm still alive when the war ends."

* * *

In the meantime, the Helic forces have started to infiltrate the city. They had spread out in order to cover more ground. Most of the residents seem to have evacuated though there were still some stragglers who were running around frantically, trying to get to the nearest shelter. Some of them even thought the alarm was just another drill yet immediately changed their minds upon seeing the abundance of Shield Ligers and Command Wolves in town.

On top of a sturdy and tall warehouse, the blue Geno Saurer watched. An area ripe with structures and narrow passes. She would have difficulty maneuvering here. Directly below her, a Shield Liger and a Command Wolf stood in place, their path blocked by some students who were protesting against the military presence.

"We don't want to be involved in your meaningless war! Get out of the city!" cried one of the protesters.

"You've already involved yourselves when you took in the Imperial Army!" The Shield Liger's pilot retorted back. "Stand aside and let us do our job!"

" _Oh, so it's our fault now?! In that case-!"_ Enraged, Sakura leapt down, the Geno Saurer landing on the Shield Liger's back, crippling it with its Hyper Strike Claws. Before the pilot knew what hit him, the Geno Saurer's arm swung forward, impaling the cockpit with its Killer Claws. Victorious, Sakura turned on the Command Wolf that stood behind the now dead Liger.

"Aaaahhh!" Terrified screams rang out as the protesters all broke off running upon the sight of the Guylos Zoid. With the commotion gone, both sides can now fight without worrying about civilians getting in the way. The Command Wolf leapt up at the larger Zoid, attempting to bite it with its fangs. Sakura swiftly moved out of the way and retaliated by knocking the Zoid onto the building with its thick tail.

"How many left?" Sakura muttered under her breath as she brought up her radar on screen. There were around six more Ligers and five more Wolves. Fortunately, the enemy seemed just as concerned with civilian casualties as they were, resorting to fighting with their claws and teeth instead.

" _Eleven more… I just need to hold out long enough!"_

* * *

"Republican Forces have infiltrated the city?! Damn it!" Vishna cursed as she heard the news. Turning to the other troops, she commanded them to secure their Zoids and rendezvous at the point shown in their map data, as per Captain Ash's orders. She was just about to tell the Godos pilot to evacuate but when she turned around, the girl had already disappeared, running off into the direction of the hangars.

"Wait-!" Vishna was about to apprehend her when an explosion caught their attention. The entire situation was utter chaos. Left with no choice, Vishna rushed back to her Sabre Tiger, forgetting all about Alyx.

* * *

Smoke and fire spewed forth from the remains of one Shield Liger felled by the Geno Saurer's hand. Sakura cursed the Liger pilot for his actions. His attempt to take the Geno Saurer down with him in a vainglorious suicide attack failed and only succeeded in causing more damage than necessary. She didn't even want to look at the ground anymore. The Liger detonated near an evacuation center which still had people coming in. Apart from the debris of Zoid parts and structures, she could make out distinct humanoid shapes underneath the rubble.

A Command Wolf suddenly appeared on the alley to her left. Upon seeing the Geno Saurer, the Wolf popped smoke from its dischargers, obscuring the entire street in black and suffocating smoke.

"Can't you all tell that this is an evacuation area?! What's wrong with you people?!" Sakura screamed in anger as she maneuvered her Zoid away from the scene at full speed. She needs to take the battle out of the city. And fast. Before she could reach the gates though, a pair of Shield Ligers intercepted her, emerging from the wreck of a supermarket. The Geno Saurer managed to avoid one of them but the other was able to land a lucky hit as the Liger bit down on one of the Geno Saurer's claws.

"Unhand me at once!" Sakura cursed as the monitor display showed her left claw losing power. Left with no choice, she took aim at the Liger with her Laser Guns and shot directly at the canopy, killing both Zoid and pilot. As the Liger dropped dead on the ground, two more Command Wolves arrived to back the other Liger. Sakura's path was clear though and she headed out the city gates, followed by the three Zoids.

* * *

" _How did…things turn out like this?"_ Alyx wondered as she saw the smoke rising from various parts of town. She had headed inside the hangars, hoping to find at least one Zoid she can use to get out of the crossfire. The evacuation alarm had rung but, what if it didn't go off in time? How many dead people are littered on the streets? How many will be faces she'll recognize?

" _So this is what Naruse meant? Why?"_ Alyx slammed her fist into the wall as she waited for the hangar doors to open enough to allow her to slip inside. What greeted her when it opened was Naruse, her arms bleeding from multiple small wounds.

"Alyx Ledesma?" Naruse asked, a little surprised.

"Naruse? Are you alright?! What happened?!" Alyx rushed over to Naruse's side, taking her arm in her hands.

"I'm fine… I just fell out of a window. Anyway, we need to get out of here now!"

"I know. But, the whole city's in chaos thanks to the fighting. All evacuation shelters must be locked by now." Alyx replied, her tone getting a lot more somber than her usual enthusiastic air, which Naruse sensed.

"I'm sorry... I wish there was anything else I could've done-!"

"No, I highly doubt we both could've done anything…" Alyx replied, turning once more to the city. "If only this war would stop because of the actions of a few…Anyway, we need to get out of here. We aren't going anywhere without a Zoid though, unless we want to die in the crossfire."

"No luck in this hangar…" Naruse informed Alyx. "Most of the Godos were already taken by the crew."

"What about him?" Alyx pointed to the Zoid on the far left side, the blue-eyed Liger Zero.

"Can you pilot a Liger?" Naruse asked Alyx who just shrugged. Holding Naruse's hand tightly, she pulled her along as she ran, passing the empty work stations and platforms where Zoids once docked until they arrived and stood in front of the gray Liger. Using an elevator, the two climbed up until they reached the Zoid's cockpit. Opening it revealed that the gear was not yet set and the pilot registration wasn't accomplished yet.

"This must be one of the Zoids Captain Ash intended to give away to the Kalanes local government…" Naruse muttered as she inspected the controls while Alyx filled out the necessary details and registrations in order for them to use the Zoid. As she entered the last piece of information needed, the Zoid let out a soft growl. It was now activated.

"Quick! Get inside!" Alyx called out to Naruse who immediately climbed inside just as the hatch closed. It was a little cramped inside for the two girls as the Zero wasn't exactly intended to house two people. Nevertheless, they had to compromise. Alyx was in the actual control seat while Naruse was just sitting on the console beside them, her legs dangling on Alyx's lap.

"So, have you piloted a Liger before?" Naruse asks a question. A rather vital question for their survival.

"Ummm…" Alyx tries to recall her piloting experience as she watched the lights flicker and activate, indicating that the Zoid was finally awake. "I did. Once. It was a Shield Liger."

"And?"

"I went full speed for around five minutes. Then I puked. Then I passed out." Alyx replied sheepishly, making Naruse feel a little worried. "That was two years ago though."

"And that's supposed to reassure me? How do you expect to handle a Liger Zero when you can't even control a Shield Liger?!" Naruse scolds Alyx over her apparent recklessness.

"Relax! I've been brushing up on a lot of things since then." Having acquainted herself with some of the basic controls, Alyx set to work. Gently, she guided the Zero, moving it out of the confinement of the platforms until it now stood facing the hangar doors.

"Alright! I think I can do this. Now how do I make it run out of here?" Alyx wondered as she fumbled with the module on her right, all the while under Naruse's watchful eye. "Hmm…this might do the trick."

"Alyx no-!" Before Naruse could protest and inform her of what the button does, the Liger Zero gave out a loud roar and deployed its downforce stabilizers. Before the two girls could brace themselves, the ion boosters activated, propelling the Zoid forward, smashing the hangar door and running off into the chaotic city ahead.

* * *

 **Writer's Note:** Chapter 2 is now uploaded~ What awaits our odd duo as they make their way in the world using the Liger Zero? Who will become friends? Who will become enemies? What secret lies behind Naruse's mask? Stay on in order to find out!

To expand more on Kalanes City, it is basically a merchant city with high rock formations that serves as protective walls of sorts. Behind the city is a valley that leads to a hidden yet difficult pathway. It used to be a base that had seen a lot of action before the cataclysm. Nowadays, fights barely break out within its vicinity and troops from both armies just use it as a means of repair and resupply. It is a dangerous stance but, one that had allowed the city to avoid being engulfed in open war for the last few years. Until this chapter.

The primary livelihood within the city is mining, scavenging and occupations that involves Zoids. Agriculture doesn't flourish much here which means they mostly rely on merchant connections and trade in order to get over their food shortage. Parts and precious minerals are abundant in the region, due to its proximity to some mountain ranges.

For those who are wondering, this entire story is set in the Central Continent of Delpoi. Well, that's all for now. See you in the next chapter!


	4. Chapter 3 - First Strike

_(Disclaimer: I do not own the Zoids franchise. Copyright goes to Tomy for making this fantastic series. All I own are this story, its characters and some concept Zoids that might appear.)_

 **Zoids: Lost Eden**

 **Chapter 3: First Strike**

* * *

Outside the city gates, things were a little more chaotic. With no more civilian bystanders to worry about, the Zoids no longer hesitated on using the full capacity of their weapons. The situation was even more advantageous to the Shield Liger MK-II; whose heavy beam cannons hampered its capability in the urban confines of Kalanes City.

On the other hand, the Geno Saurer had more room to maneuver. Strangely enough, Sakura wasn't too keen on using her Charged Particle Cannon, seeing that her Zoid's melee and ranged prowess are sufficient enough to get the job done.

"Take this!" Sakura took aim and fired her Pulse Lasers at a Command Wolf, disabling it as she hit its weapons loadout. With it out of the way, it turned its attention to the other Zoids, lugging along the non-functional left claw with it as it charged.

The remaining Zoids proved to be more of a challenge, attacking in close succession, leaving no room for the Geno Saurer to hone in on any one of them. Taking a direct hit from the Liger's impressive arsenal could be her downfall, even if Sakura's Zoid surpassed it in terms of specs. Her best hope was for one of her adversaries to make a mistake.

"Damn!" Sakura suddenly cursed as she found herself flanked from both sides. The two Zoids fired their best shots. Her only hope of escape was to jump away with her Ion Boosters at full power. Before the shots connected, the Geno Saurer leapt up, dodging the fatal rounds. The Command Wolf was daring though. It immediately followed up by leaping up after the Guylos Zoid, its fangs aiming for the vulnerable spot which is its cockpit. Its bravery ultimately proved to be its undoing.

"Don't underestimate me!" Sakura angrily yelled out as she shifted her Zoid's body a little to the left, dodging the Command Wolf's blow by a few inches. Not satisfied with that, the Geno Saurer's head lurched forward towards the enemy and upon reaching its neck, its jaws clamped down full force. Upon landing, she twisted the enemy Zoid's head violently in her Zoid's jaws before tossing it aside as it turned to face the remaining Shield Liger.

* * *

"This is it eh?" Captain Ash muttered as he rallied his troops towards the area where the mayor pointed out an escape route. While the rest of the Zoids were tucked safely back in the trailers, both the Dark Spiner and the Elephander were outside, guarding the surrounding area. Without the Geno Saurer, these two were the only ones who possessed significant capability needed to blast through the rocks.

"Blindly shooting at everything won't work. In fact, it might only make matters worse for us if it causes a landslide." Gerard, the gruff soldier, mentioned as he carefully checked the stone formation with his Elephander's sensors.

"Indeed." Captain Ash agreed; the head of his Dark Spiner nodding in agreement with his subordinate's idea. "The mayor told me of a hole here that was merely filled up. We should probably blast through that."

"Over there Captain." Gerard pointed to a haphazard arrangement of large boulders. "See how the rocks there appear younger than the ones around it? I'm willing to bet that's where the hole is at!"

"Okay, I'll leave it in your hands Gerard." Captain Ash then turns to the rest of the troops under his command. "Recall Vishna and patch me a channel to Sakura's Geno Saurer. We're pulling out of here!"

"Let's do this!" Gerard grunted, shifting his Elephander into full power as it plowed straight on to the stone wall. The walls gave out much resistance but four full powered stomps with the Elephander's heavy feet took care of the problem, emerging only with a few bruises as the stone wall gave way before its might.

"Forward!" Ash led the troops with his Zoid as they passed through one by one, taking great care not to leave anybody behind.

* * *

"You're mine now!" Sakura roared out in anger as she finally closed in on the Shield Liger MK-II. Taking the earlier encounter into account, she immediately took a swing with her Zoid's tail, aiming for the Liger's generator in its mane. This Zoid won't be much of a problem once it loses its shield.

Although the Liger was hit hard, it did not deter it from charging Sakura's Geno Saurer, managing to embed its long canines onto the Zoid's left shoulder, effectively piercing the armor.

"You never learn do you?!" Instead of wedging it away, Sakura shifted the non-functional arm a little closer to her cockpit, putting the Liger's canopy in range of its remaining Killer Claw. With a great swing, the Geno Saurer's claws buried itself deep into the canopy, piercing the cover and the pilot's soft body underneath. Yet the Liger wouldn't let go. The pilot used the last of his fading strength to stall the controls for the Liger's biting mechanism, completely locking the Geno Saurer's claw in its teeth.

"Very well-!" Upon seeing this act, Sakura continued hacking at the Liger's mane, shredding armor and hydraulics with every strike that connected. The Guylos Zoid hacked furiously at the Liger's neck until it finally got through to the joint that connects it to the body. With one more slash at full power, the Geno Saurer decapitates the enemy Zoid. Forcefully removed from its primary source of energy, the Liger's jaws loosened. It now lacked the strength to hold on, allowing Sakura to wrench it off with her Zoid's own jaws. The battle outside was over and somehow, she had managed to defeat all three Zoids that intercepted her outside.

"The city-!" Sakura suddenly remembers. Driving back inside, she surveyed the roads, looking for any sign of her allies and enemies. A look at the radar revealed that the remaining enemy forces were a few more blocks away. Her allies were nowhere to be found though there was nothing to indicate that they had been destroyed. "They must've probably escaped somewhere…"

A new signature popped up in her sensors though. It didn't match anything she had fought so far. And it was coming fast, right near the fork that leads to the Disaster Building.

"Another one?" Sakura's Zoid turned to face the direction the unknown Zoid was expected to emerge from. Her Zoid was damaged but it still had quite a bit of fight left in it.

Finally the Zoid arrived, stopping for just a moment as it made a sharp turn before heading straight into the street where Sakura's Geno Saurer stood waiting. To her surprise, it was the Liger Zero they handed over to the Kalanes authorities in exchange for the Zoid core.

"The Liger Zero? Who's piloting it?" Sakura wondered as she tried to open a channel to reach her allies. To her surprise though, the Liger accelerated at full speed, bumping into her Geno Saurer along the way. She had to deploy a footlock in order to stop their momentum and regain their balance. With that gesture alone, Sakura knew that this Zoid was no ally of theirs.

She needed to take it out as well.

* * *

It took a while before Alyx could stop the Zero from running and just in time too as they were about to collide head first into one of the buildings.

"Well, I think I've got the hang of it now!" Alyx sighed in relief.

"Stay alert Alyx! We've got company…" Naruse pointed to a signature that suddenly appeared on their radar. Turning the Zero so that it faced the Zoid blocking its path, Alyx could hardly believe what waited in that street.

"The Geno Saurer? There's no way we could fight that thing on our own!" Alyx felt panic rise up upon seeing the Zoid blocking their way.

"No, look." Naruse calmly pointed out the damages the Geno Saurer has sustained. "Its left claw appears to be broken. Plus, we're in the city. There's no way anyone can use their guns here. For now."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we can take it. The Geno Saurer has solid melee capabilities but then again, so does this Liger Zero. Charge ahead at full speed!" At the girl's command, Alyx reactivated the Ion Boosters and charged, colliding with the Geno Saurer blocking their path. The Guylos Zoid responded by deploying a footlock, allowing it to stop the momentum of Alyx's charge.

"Now, pull back! It's about to counterattack!" True enough, Alyx saw the Geno Saurer attempt to swing its tail at them. Immediately, she pulled back disengaging the Zero and narrowly dodging the Geno Saurer's blow.

"Now's our chance!" Again, Naruse gave the command and again, Alyx responded. Running towards her opponent, she drove the Liger to leap up, activating the left Strike Laser Claw. The Zero's claws burned with energy as it brought the strike down towards its opponent.

Upon seeing the approaching attack, the Geno Saurer maneuvered slightly to the right, narrowly dodging the incoming blow. Countering back, it took hold of the Zero's left shoulder armor with its fangs and tossed the Zero aside, ramming it into one of the buildings fencing them in. Seeing as it wasn't enough to completely disable it, it swung its tail again, completely shattering the shoulder armor.

"Nggghhh! This guy's good-!" Naruse commended whoever was piloting the Zoid in front of them. Taking a look at Alyx, she seems to be holding on well enough. In her case though, her vision was slipping away fast. The battle's making her already terrible condition worse.

"It's coming-!" Alyx exclaimed as the Geno Saurer slowly made its way towards them, like a predator walking over to the corpse of its prey. "Naruse, what should we do now? Naruse? Naruse?!" Alyx asked her friend instructions but to no avail. Suddenly, Naruse collapsed over her, her face bleeding from a fresh wound on her head. Her body temperature was a little warmer than usual, indicating a slight fever. She would have to fight it out on her own.

"Is it over?" Sakura wondered from inside the cockpit of her Zoid. Whoever the Zero's pilot was, he was quite skilled, managing to go head to head against her Geno Saurer in a melee. Still, she wasn't planning on taking her chances. Towering over the Zero, she raised her remaining Killer Claw with the intent of bringing it down on the Zero's cockpit. Before she could though, the Zero lurched forward and knocked the Geno Saurer away with its head.

"Alright-!" Alyx brought the Liger to speed and ran past the Geno Saurer who immediately pursued. She led it out of the alleyway they were fighting in and out into the main square; a more open field that allows more maneuverability for larger Zoids. She wasn't intending to run away.

"Let's do this Zero, Naruse!" The Liger Zero roared as its fins deployed, taking in energy and sending it to its right claw.

"Oh no you don't-!" Likewise, Sakura charged with the Geno Saurer, its Hyper Killer Claw at the ready.

"Strike Laser Claw!" With raging fury, the Liger Zero leapt up and dived at the Geno Saurer, its right claw burning with a different kind of intensity than before. The two Zoids collided, with both of their attacks connecting. But while Sakura's Geno Saurer only managed to cripple the Zero's right shoulder, the Liger Zero's attack cut straight through the Geno Saurer's right arm and also damaged its right leg.

"Right components failing…Damn!" Sakura cursed as her Zoid staggered while she tried to reorganize her position. The warnings on her consoles also reminded her that she doesn't have much energy left. Any way she looks at it, she's the one at a disadvantage.

" _Sakura Nagisa…"_

Sakura suddenly received a call from the convoy. Bringing it up, she saw Captain Ash gesturing that she pull back. The convoy appears to have escaped alright. The message was immediately followed by a map data that showed the convoy's trajectory.

" _Better live to fight another day…"_ Sakura thought to herself as she retreated, using the last of her energy to propel the Ion Boosters at full speed.

The Liger Zero looked on at the retreating form of the Geno Saurer. Alyx didn't have any intention to pursue though. Right now, tending to Naruse is her top priority. She wasn't sure where to take her though, since all the facilities at Kalanes are empty.

"Liger Zero pilot, do you read us? State your name and affiliation!" A sudden call caught her attention. Looking around, she saw the remaining Helic forces gather around her Zoid. They were Shield Ligers and Command Wolves though there is a Saberlion mixed in among them.

"Uh…Alyx Ledesma and uh—I'm just a local from this city." Alyx replied.

"Really?" The voice was coming from the Saberlion. "You fight well for someone who's grown up in a peaceful town. I do not know many pilots who can go head to head with a Geno Saurer without the benefit of a Laser Blade."

Suddenly, Naruse got up and spoke on their intercom. "You are the Helic guerilla unit known as the Retaliation Force right?"

"That's right." The Saberlion or rather, its pilot answered back. "And who are you? You're not the one I was talking to earlier."

"I request that you take us under your protection. I need to speak with the person in charge as soon as possible." Naruse sounded urgent but she did try to keep a polite voice as she spoke. She didn't want to give the Helic Zoids a cause for alarm.

"That's fine by me; we have questions we want to ask as well. But first, tell me who you are. And what is your purpose for calling out to us?" The Saberlion continued with its barrage of questions.

"I am—an independent envoy of the Guylos Empire left on the Central Continent. And I bring you important information pertaining to the man you seek: the masked hunter known only as the Viscount."

At this point, Alyx felt confused. So many things have happened in just one day. Somehow, she felt that she and Naruse were about to get swept up in bigger things. The only difference is that Naruse knows what she's doing and Alyx didn't. She doesn't have any strong motivation for the decisions she took in the last few hours. Nevertheless, would she still try to walk the same fiery path as her newfound friend?

The answer was yes.

The Helic Zoids seemed to murmur amongst each other, possibly discussing what they should do with the two girls and their Zoid. Finally, the Saberlion turned back to them and spoke up.

"Very well. Follow us to the Alexander then."

* * *

 **Writer's Note:** Chapter 3 is finished as well. Not too surprising since it's such a short chapter after all. Now, the Helic Republic enters the scene...or at least, what's left of it in the Central Continent.

Special thanks to RougeBaron for leaving a review for this story! I'll try to keep as interesting as possible. Well, see you all again in the next chapter!


	5. Chapter 4 - Night of Introductions

_(Disclaimer: I do not own the Zoids franchise. Copyright goes to Tomy for making this fantastic series. All I own are this story, its characters and some concept Zoids that might appear.)_

 **Zoids: Lost Eden**

 **Chapter 4: Night of Introductions**

* * *

" _What an embarrassing performance for a man once hailed as one of the greatest tactical minds of the Empire…"_

The screen inside the section of the trailer the Guylos remnants used as a briefing room showed a middle-aged man with green hair, decked in royal attire. Captain Ash bowed his head solemnly, as did his other soldiers: Gerard, Seral and Vishna. Sakura wasn't around as she was preoccupied with overseeing the repairs on her Zoid.

"I apologize for that incident at Kalanes. I am prepared to take full responsibility for the outcome." Captain Ash apologized yet he did not break his typical, icy air. He had been in service with the army for decades, having watched its collapse as the power of Guylos fell with Regent Proitzen's Death Saurer and the death of Emperor Rudolph Zeppelin III as well as its further ruin during the Eisen Dragoon _coup d'état_ under the new emperor, Wolff Muroa. He struggled long and hard to prove the worth of the abandoned Guylos to their new overlords. He wasn't about to be pushed around by this greenhorn who just climbed in rank by kissing up to the new leadership.

" _What I don't understand Captain—"_ A young girl seated near the other man asked, her eyes fixed on the video game she played on a handheld console. She barely looked older than fourteen yet even she was already decked in royal military attire. " _—is how did a Republican guerilla unit force you to retreat when all they had were Shield Ligers and Command Wolves, obsolete Zoids that your own troops could have annihilated with ease?"_

" _I would like to know the reasons for this as well Captain!"_ The other man pitched in, not even giving Ash the opportunity to explain.

" _Victory at Kalanes would've been meaningless if the core was lost in exchange. Truly, you have much to learn Alexei Shretter."_ The voice of a woman called out from behind the two people Ash was talking to. From the corridor emerged another woman, possibly around Seral's age. Compared to the two, she was decked in a simple black military garb yet spoke with a tone more authoritative than the others.

" _Caitlyn…don't tell me you're excusing the Captain's poor performance at Kalanes?!"_ Alexei snarled angrily at the newcomer, who was apparently named Caitlyn.

" _Their mission at Kalanes was to retrieve the core and the map data. Seeing as the core is now being delivered to our location, the mission can be considered a success, no? And that's Lady Caitlyn, Alexei. Remember your own place."_ Likewise, the woman retorted back albeit, calmer than Alexei's rude remark.

" _But without the map data, having the core is rather meaningless if you ask me."_ The younger girl sighed as she turned her attention back to the game.

"Yes, that was—an unexpected development." Ash recalled the incident in the mayor's home. "I did not expect "her" to interfere of all people."

" _And thanks to your carelessness, the map data is officially lost. Good job Captain."_ Alexei continued to berate Ash for his failure.

" _Now, now. This isn't the end yet. Information is rather easy to acquire, provided you know where to look for it."_ Another voice called from the shadows. From it, a tall man with dusty blonde hair walked out. Upon seeing him, everyone immediately bowed as a sign of respect. Even the young girl took a moment off her game to acknowledge his presence. The man kept the upper half of his face hidden in a red mask which compliments the red royal coat he wore over his attire. " _What's important is that we have the core. And the identity of the one who interfered with our plan."_

" _Yes sir!"_ Everyone else sharing the room with him replied in unison. Smiling, he turned to Captain Ash who only greeted him with a nod.

" _Captain, I heard Warrant Officer Nagisa was attacked by the Liger Zero you brought with you to use as a bargaining chip, is that correct?"_ The masked man asked.

"Yes Viscount." Ash replied, acknowledging the man only by the title he was given by virtue of his birth and for his services to the Neo-Zenebas army as a hunter.

" _And our intruder managed to get away from you after she had sabotaged our plans?"_

"That is also correct."

" _Interesting…"_ The Viscount gave Ash a sly smile. " _It is highly possible that your mystery man—no, I suppose the more proper term now is your mystery girl, in the Liger Zero is none other than your hooded intruder."_

"Could that even be possible? Sakura is one of my best pilots. It is unfathomable that she would lose against "her" so easily."

" _Do not be too hard on the Warrant Officer, Captain."_ The Viscount let out a slight chuckle. " _She single-handedly fought against the Republican forces in order to buy you time to escape. Considering that her Zoid had sustained considerable damage and lacked sufficient energy when she fought the Liger Zero, yet still managed to cause significant damage to it—I'd say that the battle was not at all a "loss". In fact, she may even be better than Alexei and Arlene here. Perhaps even you, Caitlyn."_

While Caitlyn seemed to be fine with the comparison, it was obvious that the other two people in the room did not take too kindly to it, seeing it as an insult to their own ability as they clenched their fists in anger.

" _Our intruder is no stranger to war as well. Remember that she's had to evade death several times that it's really not surprising if she was capable of besting one of your finest pilots Captain. When was the last time you saw them?"_

"According to our reports, the Liger Zero was retrieved by the remaining Republican forces. They were last seen leaving Kalanes through the main gate." Ash relayed the report to the Viscount.

" _If the Republic catches wind of our plans, they will surely do everything in their power to stop it."_ The Viscount turns his back on the screen and stared at the ceiling, lost in his own thoughts. " _For too long we had scurried around that rebel force's shadow…It's time we take the fight to them."_

"Viscount, you don't mean-?"

" _Yes. We will launch an attack on the Alexander, with the intention of retrieving our stolen Zoid and our intruder. These developments have got me intrigued…"_ Turning to Captain Ash, the Viscount continued. " _You may take a break for a while Captain. This time, I shall lead the assault myself."_

"Are you sure about this?" Ash wondered.

" _Yes. Rendezvous with the Dragoon Nest at the coordinates I'll be sending to you. We'll discuss this plan further once our troops meet up."_

"Yes, sir!" With a wave, the Viscount turned off the panel on their end, leaving the soldiers under Ash's command to their own devices.

"Well, that was tense!" Gerard sighed in relief as he stretched his arms. Placing a great hand over Seral's shoulder, he whispered in her ear. "It seems we get a break after all. What say you and me head out for a little stroll for a while eh~?"

Seral just laughed at the idea. "No thanks. A shower and a good night's sleep are all I need right now."

"Come on! My treat!" Gerard continued to joke around, lifting up the overall mood from the dialogue earlier.

"Well—" Seral shrugged. "Maybe you can take me to somewhere fancy?"

"Oh, can I come too?" Vishna also perked up, raising her hand as if to ask a question.

"No. Adults only Vishna." Gerard jokingly prohibits Vishna from tagging along, much to the younger girl's annoyance.

"Ehhh?! Why not?!" Vishna protests.

"Well, if Vishna's not coming along then I don't see any reason why I should~" Seral laughed as she headed out the door, followed by an apologetic Gerard.

"W-wait Seral-! Fine, you can come along Vishna." Gerard sighed in defeat.

"On second thought, Sakura might get lonely if I leave her alone here. Never mind then~" Vishna took the opportunity to tease Gerard before heading out the door herself.

"Oh come on!" Gerard exclaimed. "We rarely get a chance like this! Honestly-!" He scratches his head before turning back to face Captain Ash. "Well, that got them back in high spirits."

"So it seems." Ash slowly walked towards a bench on one side of the wall, exhausted from the day's events. He took off his glasses and rubbed his temples. It had been a very long day for someone as old as him.

"You alright sir? Can I get you anything?" Gerard asked, concerned.

"I'm fine." Ash grunted. "Talking things over with the Viscount and the Knights just take a lot out of me. Could you fetch me a glass of whisky Gerard? And do not forget the ice this time."

"Sure thing sir."

* * *

The gentle waves of the ocean lapped on the sides of a large transport Zoid that was slowly making its way towards the shore. This Zoid was known as a Dragoon Nest and it housed the mysterious noble known only as the Viscount. Barely anyone remembers how he rose to power. It is said that he once belonged to one of the royal houses of Guylos but when the empire fell, he supposedly made a deal with the emerging Neo-Zenebas. The deal allowed him and the people who rallied under him to stay in Delpoi in exchange for hunting down remnants of the Helic Republic that lie scattered across the Central Continent while the rest of the Neo-Zenebas army bolstered their position. Yet even his superiors could not completely fathom the motivations of this man but so long as he serves under them, they did not mind even if he tends to disappear for long periods of time, seemingly searching for something.

He kept only a select few around him; a handful of people whom he entrusts with all of his plans. These people are known as the Remnant Knights. Knights were chosen based on their skill and ability to keep secrets, barring other considerations like age and personalities. Suffice to say, not all of those who served under him were fond of the Knights as they are with their leader.

"That commoner! Superior than I?! Complete nonsense!" Alexei cursed out loud as he kicked the door of his locker as he changed into his pilot suit.

"Considering that she fended off around ten Zoids all by herself, I'm not surprised that the Viscount would make that comparison." Caitlyn merely laughed at Alexei's outburst as she slid on her combat boots.

"You! Do you not feel the slightest bit of shame that he holds a commoner like Sakura Nagisa in high esteem while we, the Remnant Knights, get pushed to the side?!"

"No. And you know why?" Caitlyn stood up and confronted Alexei face to face. "Because at the end of the day, we are the Knights. We are the ones whom the Viscount trusts the most, the only ones who know all about his ambition. Let the commoner have her share of the spotlight. She will never reach the same status we have. Not in a hundred years."

"I'd say your words are pretty arrogant, even if your precious Empire no longer stands." The two Knights turned upon hearing the rude remarks. Standing at the doorway was a young man who looked no older than Alexei. Although he was clad in the same garb as the Remnant Knights, he wore them rather sloppily, with loose buttons and wrinkles everywhere. A cigarette dangled from his lips as he stared at the two with almost dead eyes.

"Big words from a mercenary whose loyalty could easily be bought with the right amount of money and treasure in his pocket!" Alexei retorted back with a cheeky grin. "And what the hell are you doing here Reynard? I don't recall you being asked to tag along."

Reynard merely rubbed his neck as he walked towards his locker. "Then you haven't heard?"

"Heard what? That you're finally axed from the Knights? That's news to me, although I was kind of expecting it sooner or later!" Alexei replied with obvious sarcasm though Reynard merely chuckled at his remarks.

"The Viscount modified the battle plan. The ones participating in it are me, Caitlyn and him. Oh, it also seems like he wants to take Sakura Nagisa along as well, you know? Heh…" This time it was Reynard's turn to gloat over Alexei, whose face immediately turned red with fury.

"Is that right? Well, what if I don't believe you?!"

"Ask the Viscount yourself then. Since you're off from this mission, surely you have enough time to do that?" Reynard answered him back, having just finished strapping on his pilot suit. He may be a little untidy, but even Alexei admits the bastard was fast in doing things. "Let's go Caitlyn. He's waiting."

"See you Alexei~ Don't forget to turn the lights off when you leave the changing room." Caitlyn bade Alexei farewell, leaving him and his vicious temper alone to sort themselves out.

The Viscount only carried a handful of Zoids in his personal transporter, with most of them belonging to the Knights. Compared to the ones brought by Captain Ash though, the Zoids on his unit were more powerful, befitting the ace pilots he personally selected. On the left and right side of the main hangar, a Lightning Saix and two Imperial Liger Zeroes stood by, waiting for the chance to deploy. One of the Ligers was a standard Imperial model decked in splendid red and gold. The other was equipped with the X-Armor CAS, giving it more presence and authority. In the middle of the two stood the Viscount's personal Zoid.

Another pilot stood by beside his own Zoid: A Zenebas Warshark used as a scouting unit. He waved to the two Knights as they passed by, catching their attention. "So, how did the meeting go?" He asked.

"Well, the mission was successful—somehow. We failed to acquire the map data though thanks to the rash actions of an intruder." It was Caitlyn who relayed the report, seeing that Reynard wasn't around that time.

"That's not too much of a problem. I can easily sniff out any information you need." The man told Caitlyn.

"Aren't you going back to change Gideon?" It was Reynard's turn to address the Warshark pilot. "You've been out there for over three hours now."

"Nah, maybe later. I might receive orders to deploy again, anyway. Not that I really mind." The Warshark pilot named Gideon replied as he stretched. "So, why are you two all dressed to kill? New mission?"

"Yeah." Reynard answered back. "We'll be accompanying the Viscount this time."

"It's been a while since he personally deployed. What for?"

"He plans to launch an attack on the Alexander, to take back a Zoid and its pilot." Caitlyn replied. Gideon could only laugh.

"Well, good luck on your mission. Pity I can't accompany you out there."

"Oh, I think we'll be fine." Reynard turns to face the Zoid that stood in the center of all others. It was another Tyrannosaurus Zoid but much stronger than Sakura's Geno Saurer. The Viscount's personal Zoid: The Berserk Fuhrer.

* * *

Back in the desert that lies outside Kalanes City, the entourage of Helic Zoids led by Lieutenant Itsuki's Saberlion trudged through the sand. It was in the middle of the night and the enemy had long retreated but nevertheless, the remaining Zoids kept a sharp eye out, glancing to their sides every few minutes or so. The Liger Zero walked in the middle of the remaining Shield Ligers, making it appear as if the other Zoids were escorting it.

"Quite a depressing bunch they've got here huh?" Alyx asked Naruse, who had regained consciousness. They were outside the cockpit, sitting on the Liger's back between its Ion Boosters. Alyx was helping Naruse bandage her wounds; a task made difficult in the cramped space of the Liger's cockpit. The Zero still continued to move though, thanks to it being derived directly off a Wild Zoid, granting it far more sentience than the other Zoids around it. Kind of like a form of autopilot.

"There! All done! I wish they'll have decent medical facilities where we are going though. You've lost quite a lot of blood. And, a slight fever." Alyx exclaimed as she finished up.

"Hey?" Naruse suddenly asked. "Aren't you going to ask me what I meant about being an envoy from Guylos?"

"I don't know. If I did, would you be willing to tell me?" Alyx replied.

"Maybe not." Naruse sank back, burying her head in her arms. Alyx sat down beside her. "Hey Alyx? Why did you come with me?"

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Alyx asked, a little puzzled.

"You could've stayed behind. Help rebuild your city. Go back to your old life." Naruse took a deep breath. "After we fought the Geno Saurer, you could've just handed me over and stayed behind. You can even keep the Liger Zero if you want. Consider it my compensation for your help earlier. But you didn't. You chose to tag along. Why?"

"I don't really know." Alyx glanced up, her gaze fixed upon the night sky. "I was about to do exactly what you said though. Just hand you over and let these guys take it from here. But after seeing what happened to Kalanes—that's when it hit me: Even if we deny it, this war still affects us. It affects all. It doesn't matter how well we stall things, or how far we run away. Sooner or later, its flames will catch up. To be honest, I was completely lost upon seeing that in front of my eyes. Then I remembered what you told me this morning."

"What—I told you?"

"You know? That part about not acting when you could. About how that was your terrible mistake and how you want to correct it, in order to avoid another tragedy. I guess… I wanted to be strong like that too. If I can do something, in my own little way-!"

"Hehe…And you trust me? Just like that?" Naruse asked. Although she kept her head buried in her arms, she was able to manage a weak smile.

"Yep! Just like that! I don't want think about things too deeply, I know you've seen that firsthand, so I can't really give you any grand reasons for involving myself. Just know that I'm helping you not because I feel obliged to but because I want to."

Naruse let out a soft laugh as she finally raised her head to look at Alyx. "Alright, then I'll rely on you one more time, if that's alright."

"Of course. That's what I'm here for." Alyx nodded, extending a hand towards Naruse. "I look forward to working with you again, Naruse."

Naruse paused for a moment, taken aback by Alyx's gesture. "We've gone through this earlier, didn't we?"

"Yeah, but you didn't shake my hand. You only told me your name."

"That's because—Naruse's not really my real name."

"So I noticed. But, I don't mind. I've gotten used to the name already. Plus it won't change anything. You could be Jeanne Antoinette Muroa for all I care. I'll still call you Naruse."

"Okay then…" Naruse finally extended her own, bandaged arm and shook hands with Alyx. "I look forward to working with you again too—Alyx."

"Cool." Alyx suddenly stood up, looking to the front where the Saberlion was. Seeing that the other soldiers were as quiet as rocks, she went back to her spot beside Naruse. "Man, we've been walking a long time. Don't you think we should've arrived there by now? What's an Alexander anyway?" Alyx asked but Naruse just shook her head.

"I don't know either. Want to ask one of the pilots?"

"Yeah, let's do that. It's getting a little chilly out here anyway." Alyx helped Naruse up. The two headed back inside the cockpit of the Zero and opened the communications panel. "Uhh…Saberlion, sir? What's an Alexander, if you don't mind me asking?"

For a while, it didn't seem as if the pilot of the lead Zoid was interested in giving them a reply. But eventually, he answered back after a few minutes.

"Now that we're here, I think it would be easier to just show you." The pilot told them.

"Huh?" Alyx wondered aloud.

"Take a look at your monitor." Alyx did as she was told, bringing the camera up to full magnification. What she saw in it made her jaw drop in awe.

"I don't believe it!" Alyx could not contain the excitement in her voice. A gargantuan Zoid stood in front of them, larger than anything Alyx had seen so far. Judging by its shape, it appears to be a Republican Hammerhead, though it was several magnitudes larger than the one used by the Helic Navy. This Zoid appeared to be around the size of an Imperial Whale King, possibly even larger. It was lined with multiple guns on its sides, the most impressive being the triple Republican Supercannons on each pectoral fin and another one just above the head. Its mouth was open, and the other Zoids were heading inside.

"Ladies—that is the Hammer Kaiser. Named after one of Earth history's greatest conquerors, this is the Alexander, the mobile base of the Helic Retaliation Force."

* * *

 **Writer's Note:** And...here's Chapter 4! Hope you also enjoyed it.

Well, out pops one of my own concept Zoids: The Alexander. This is based off the Hammer Kaiser that appeared in Guardian Force Episode 57-58. It kind of bothered me how the Imperial army had the Whale King and the Dragoon Nest but Helic only had the Hover Cargo and Gustav. There were a few mentions of other transport Zoids like the Turtleships (which look silly IMHO) and Ultrasaurus the Carrier. I didn't use either because:

A. The Turtleship looked like it could only carry one Zoid at a given time.

B. I can not find any scans that show what Ultrasaurus the Carrier looks like. With the size discrepancy between the anime and the Battle Story, I'm not really too sure about using it. Plus, I think there was only one remaining Ultrasaurus at this point in time.

So I had to go for a third option which is the Hammer Kaiser in the anime. The one in this fic is slightly different though as it still resembled an actual Hammerhead. Its size is only a little larger than the Whale King though it does have significantly better firepower comparable to that of an Ultrasaurus. Given the speed of the technological progression in the Battle Story, I think this would've been a plausible design in the setting since it improves upon the shortcomings of the Whale King.

The name itself was inspired from _Starcraft_ where ships of the same model get their own names depending on who is using it. (e.g. Hyperion, Norad II, Gantrithor.)

I'm not sure I can draft a spec sheet for it though. I'll try. Well, see you in the next chapter!


	6. Chapter 5 - The First Signs of Conflict

_(Disclaimer: I do not own the Zoids franchise. Copyright goes to Tomy for making this fantastic series. All I own are this story, its characters and some concept Zoids that might appear.)_

 **Zoids: Lost Eden**

 **Chapter 5: The First Signs of Conflict**

* * *

"Amazing!" Alyx could not help but look at the interior of the Hammer Kaiser with excitement. They had just alighted from the Liger Zero which was currently stored on one of the maintenance platforms. "I've never been in a transport Zoid before but—wow! Just how many large Zoids could you fit here?"

"Alyx, calm down." Naruse reprimands her as she walks over to her side. "You're acting like a country bum. Behave yourself."

"Given that she's from Kalanes City, I suppose she qualifies as one." A man with messy dark hair walks over to them, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he gave the girls a cursory glance. "So, which one of you introduced herself as an envoy from the Guylos Empire?"

"That would be me sir." Naruse responded, raising her hand as she does. "I'm not sure I caught your name though."

"1st Lieutenant Itsuki Touya of the Helic Retaliation Force." The soldier introduces himself. "I was piloting the Saberlion that led you here."

"I see. Well, should we get down to business?"

"Why don't you get your wounds attended to first? We have a medical room near the pilot's quarters. I can take you there myself." Itsuki offers.

"I do not want to impose too much, Lieutenant."

"It is no trouble. Besides, the Captain is currently in a briefing right now. We wouldn't want to interrupt them while they're speaking."

"Understood. Then please, lead the way Lieutenant."

Itsuki nodded and headed towards the elevator, followed closely by Naruse. Seeing that Alyx was still too occupied with touring the hangars, Naruse thought it best to just leave her be for the time being.

"Alyx! I'm heading over to the medical bay. Just follow up when you're done." Naruse called out to Alyx before boarding the elevator.

"Sure thing!" Alyx waved back before running towards her Zoid's platform where a mechanic has started hooking the Zoid up to various monitors and panels in order to perform a diagnosis.

"Liger Zero eh? It's been a while since I worked on a Zoid of this class." The mechanic murmured to himself.

"Wow! You've worked with Ligers before sir?"Alyx suddenly pops up from behind the man.

"Yes. In fact, I used to be head of maintenance for the Ray Force!" The mechanic proudly declares. "So how long have you had this Zoid, kid?"

"Around three hours, more or less." Alyx replied, leaning on one of the consoles. "We've already been through a lot though. Escaped a burning city, nearly collided into an apartment building and held off a Geno Saurer."

"Haha! Well, I guess it's no surprise why this fella's all banged up. You're in luck though. We've got spare parts for it right here in the Hammer Kaiser! Plus, we've got a CAS component for it right here. Only one though."

"So…you can fix up the Zero?" Alyx asked as the mechanic just shrugged.

"Of course I can! Fixing this up is even easier than working on the Shield Ligers; the army just doesn't manufacture parts for them anymore. If you managed to retrieve the shoulder armor, we could've restored it back as if it was brand new. But, why bother when you can use the CAS eh?"

"CAS?" Alyx was a little puzzled upon hearing the term.

"Change Armor System. This thing's built so that you can swap out its armor for different stuff. Pretty sweet huh?" The mechanic explained.

"Really? That's great!" Alyx leapt up in excitement. "Hey, what's your name?"

"Me? Oh, just call me Kiminari. It's what everyone else does." The mechanic extended a hand which Alyx shook.

"I'm Alyx. Alyx Ledesma from Kalanes."

* * *

In the meantime, Captain Ash's convoy finally met up with the Viscount's Dragoon Nest roughly forty miles south of Kalanes City. There, the Zoid core was transferred from the trailer where it was brought inside one of the Dragoon Nest's hangars with Captain Ash personally overseeing the procedure. The sound of approaching footsteps caused him to turn around and see the Viscount walking towards him. He was alone though, as the Knights were all delegated to lookout duty.

"I still do not understand how a single Zoid core can help us achieve our plans." Captain Ash questions the reasoning behind their earlier mission.

"This core is just a key Captain. A stepping stone for the bigger picture to come." Another riddle. Ash observed that the Viscount had been very elusive as of late.

"But without the map data—"

"Yes. Without its body, just having the core is not enough. For five years I endured the humiliation of serving this Empire of usurpers. I won't let a minor setback like this hinder it now." The Viscount turns to face Ash.

"And that is why you intend on recapturing "her"?"

"Yes. I am not so sure but, I believe "she" knows where the next part of the puzzle is hidden. She wouldn't have interfered with our plans otherwise." Extending a hand, he pats Ash on the shoulder as he makes his way back to the Zoid hangar. "Rally all the pilots. We will begin our briefing soon. Remember that the survival of our Empire lies in our hands."

"Yes, sir!"

As Ash and the Viscount made their way back to the Gustav trailers, they caught sight of the maintenance team working vigorously on the Geno Saurer. Closer inspection showed that the damaged claws were finally repaired though the armor hasn't been mounted yet. Sitting on one of the arms was Sakura, with a control panel in her lap. She appears to be observing how well the claw moves after the work done on it.

"She seems to be quite a hard worker." The Viscount muttered as his lips curled into a slight smile.

"Indeed." Ash echoes the opinion. Hearing that, the Viscount walked towards the hangar, the other workers pausing for a moment to bow and acknowledge his presence. Except for Sakura. She was still preoccupied with overseeing the repairs on her Zoid as she has her back turned on the Viscount and the Captain.

"So, how goes the repairs on your end?" The Viscount casually called out from underneath the large Zoid.

"Dismal." Sakura replied without even turning her head. Her tone also indicated that she wasn't aware of who she was talking to. Ash was about to reprimand her but the Viscount informed him that it was okay. "The reaction speed on the left claw is down by over five percent. We'll need to readjust the weight distribution and maybe replace a couple of wires. Problem is, we don't have any new ones."

"Is that so? Why don't you check with the team on the Dragoon Nest? Maybe they have a spare."

"I'm not sure I'm allowed to. The Dragoon Nest is under the Viscount's control. I might get kicked out by the Knights if I even try to set foot there."

"Oh don't worry." The Viscount assures her. "Tell them I gave you permission to. If they don't believe me, tell them to report to me immediately."

"Alright. Wait—" Startled with what she just heard, Sakura turned to face the person she had been talking to this entire time. "S-sir Viscount, sir-! I'm sorry! I didn't—WAAAHHHH!" As she stood up to apologize, she accidentally missed her step and slipped down on the platform floor. Before, she could hit the ground though, the Viscount managed to catch her in his arms.

"Whoa there! You should watch where you're stepping. You don't want to bruise yourself up before our mission." The Viscount teased the young girl in his arms. Sakura immediately stood up and bowed her head.

"I—I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking and—!"

"Heh, it's alright. If anything, I should be the one apologizing. Had I not distracted you, you wouldn't have slipped." The Viscount continues teasing the young pilot.

"N-no sir! It happened because I was careless and-!"

"Relax. I said it is alright." The Viscount turned to face Ash who had just walked up to them. "So, she's the pilot you've been talking about."

"Yes. This is Warrant Officer Sakura Nagisa." Ash introduced his subordinate.

"Hehe…I've heard about you. Your exploits have been very impressive as of late. It's a shame about Kalanes."

"I highly regret it sir! Forgive me for my shortcoming. I'm prepared to take on any punishment!" Sakura apologizes as she kept her head down.

"Really? Then I expect you to join me in my private quarters later this evening~" The Viscount teased.

"E-excuse me…sir?" Sakura was visibly startled by the remark.

"I'm kidding. We do not have time to think about punishments and rewards now." He pats her on the shoulder as he walks over to the Zoid ahead. "How much longer until you can finish the repairs here? Provided you have the parts you need."

"A-ah well, replacing the wiring shouldn't take too long. I think it should be ready in an hour…sir." Sakura reports on the progress they've made so far.

"Good. This is good." The Viscount smiles to himself as his mind wanders to the upcoming battle ahead.

* * *

The quiet desert rumbled, sending shivers down the small animals that scuttled around the arid terrain looking for any sign of nourishment. Up ahead, the Hammer Kaiser's fins lit up with a faint glow, hinting at a form of Magnesser flight mechanism. Boosters flared up and in less than a minute, the Hammer Kaiser took off, departing from the Kalanes airspace and headed down south, towards a misty mountain that loomed over the horizon.

"Wow!" Alyx could not contain her excitement upon seeing the buildings and rock formations grow smaller and smaller as the massive Zoid increased its altitude. She overheard how it was necessary that they stay airborne. It greatly reduces their chances of being detected. Once, they could've just moved around the continent without impunity as the Helic Republic still maintained a strong grip and influence across the land. However, all that changed when the Neo-Zenebas deployed the Seismosaurus: a powerful sauropod Zoid that had all but wiped out the Helic army from their own continent. Now, only guerilla units like the Retaliation Force remains, cut off from the rest of their allies who have gone into asylum on the Eastern Continent.

"Are you ready?" Naruse taps Alyx, bringing her back to the reality of their situation. "They agreed to take us in and even accommodate some of our needs but, that may all change during this meeting."

"You think they won't believe you?" Alyx asked, turning away from the window she was looking out of.

"Maybe. But, I will do my best to have them hear me out. It's as you said: This war would not stop with just the actions of a few. It's a long shot but right now, we'll need their strength if we want to prevent the Viscount from plunging this world into further chaos."

Before Alyx could respond though, Lieutenant Itsuki approached from behind. "Are you ready?"

"Yes. Yes we are." Naruse answered with a nod.

"Then let's go." Itsuki walked ahead while the girls followed closely behind. He led them to the edge of the hall, where a single door stood closed. Itsuki knocked three times before turning the knob and entering, saluting at the brown-haired woman seated in the center of the room, her back turned towards the door.

"I've brought the two girls we took in from Kalanes." Itsuki called out to the woman, puzzling the two girls with his lack of formality. The woman turned around and eyed Naruse and Alyx, checking them out from head to toe.

"U-uh, is there something on my face?" Alyx asked, puzzled.

"No, you look just fine." The woman responded before rising up from her chair. "My name is Leesa Eleanor, Captain of the Alexander."

"Oh! I'm Alyx. Alyx Ledesma." Alyx sheepishly scratched her head as she introduced herself.

"Don't worry; I know. I had Itsuki run a background check on you two beforehand, just before you arrived at this ship." Eleanor motions for the two to sit down and for Itsuki to close the door. Alyx glanced at the Lieutenant. He probably ran the check while they were walking in the desert.

"And you're the girl who introduced herself as an envoy of Guylos. I'm surprised. I didn't know the Guylos Empire still maintains some influence." Eleanor turns to Naruse.

"Some of us still remain. Mostly as retainers for the Neo-Zenebas. Or hunters." Naruse answers back.

"So I heard. So, what information can you give us with regards to the Remnant Prince?" Eleanor cuts straight to the point.

"Remnant Prince?" Alyx found the title a little puzzling.

"It's the man you might know as the Viscount." Eleanor explains to Alyx. "When the Guylos Empire fell, the emerging Neo-Zenebas proceeded to eliminate what remains of the Empire one by one, driving them out of Delpoi. During this time, the Viscount supposedly rose to power and rallied several remnant forces to his side and struck a deal with the new Empire. He would finish off what is left of the Helic Republic here. In exchange, they would be allowed to stay in the continent. In the following years, the Helic Republic gradually lost their hold on this continent as its bases fell one by one. Any underground resistance was immediately crushed by this masked hunter. It is said that he was responsible for the destruction of over seven resistance movements and the small towns that harbored them."

"Why? What could Neo-Zenebas gain from working with such a man?" Alyx implored further, growing more and more interested in knowing more about Naruse's enemy.

"It works as a good scapegoat." It was Naruse who spoke up. "Through his actions, all the hatred and ire of the general populace were directed at him and the forces he led under his command. This in turn, allowed the Neo-Zenebas leadership to remain popular among the people. It is for this reason that the main Helic army finds it hard to return. Victory in war would be meaningless if you cannot win over the populace. If anything, it will only lead to further chaos and uprisings in the long run."

"I see." Alyx only nodded.

"What your friend here said basically sums it up. So long as our enemy remains popular among the people, the harder it is for us to return to our own homeland." Eleanor pauses to brush away a stray strand of hair from her face. Turning back to Naruse, she continued her original question. "So, what information do you have for us?"

Naruse took a deep breath before speaking. "Within five years of working under the Neo-Zenebas leadership, the Viscount has accumulated quite a sizable army which he keeps hidden in territories on and off the continent, without the knowledge of his masters. This is all in preparation for his ultimate plan, which he plans to execute soon."

"And what is this ultimate plan?"

"The revival of the Guylos Empire." Naruse's answer surprised everyone in the room. "Once the Helic and Neo-Zenebas armies have exhausted themselves, he plans to initiate a military takeover at New Helic City and seize political control, bringing the entire Central Continent back under Guylos influence."

"So basically, he plans to do something similar to the Eisen Dragoon uprising five years ago?"

"Yes. And this time, he intends to succeed where the Dragoons failed: The complete annihilation of any and all opposition. It is for this reason that he sent his forces under Captain Ash to Kalanes. They extracted an ancient Zoid core from the city. He believes that it is the key to making this vision a reality."

"A Zoid core?" Itsuki walked over to their position, pacing back and forth as he thought about what he just heard. "Of what?"

"That's what I don't know." Naruse replied, her gaze lowering to her lap.

"If that is true, then how come the Neo-Zenebas forces haven't caught wind of this yet? Surely they would've figured this out by now?" Eleanor remains a little skeptical of what she just heard.

"Well—because of you guys actually." Naruse continued. "The Neo-Zenebas army is currently preoccupied with strengthening their defensive positions in preparation for the Helic Army's return from the Eastern Continent."

"They've already caught wind of that?" Itsuki asked.

"Yes. With that in mind, they simply do not have time to monitor the Viscount's actions. And the Viscount is a very cautious man. He's not acting in a way that draws attention to him."

"But if he was able to organize an army, like you said. Then how is he hiding it from Zenebas eyes? Does he have any allies? Conspirators in high places?"

"As a matter-of-fact Captain, he does." Alyx noticed Naruse hesitate for a moment. "The Daemon family has agreed to provide him with the assistance he needs to realize his plans. They provided him and his forces sanctuary under the territories they control. It was them who also informed the Viscount of the existence of a powerful Zoid core in Kalanes as well as the location of the place where its body could be found. So far, I managed to destroy any leads which lead to the location in question but, that doesn't change the fact that the Viscount now has the core. It's only a matter of time before he finds the other piece of the puzzle."

"Umm…what's the Daemon family?" Alys raised a question to the two girls with her.

"The Daemon family is a rather influential family within the noble houses of Guylos. They were the ones who funded and spearheaded the Death Saurer Revival Plan which eventually led to the incident at Valhalla six years ago. With the Empire's collapse, they apparently switched sides and provided the Eisen Dragoons with the means of overthrowing what remains of the old Guylos. According to some reports, they were also involved in the creation of the Seismosaurus as well." Itsuki explains to the clueless young pilot. "Their scientific prowess is not to be underestimated."

"And now they plan on switching back to the Viscount's side. Truly a family of crafty opportunists who only care about staying afloat in and in power." Even if she tried to hide it, Alyx could see the anger rising in Naruse's voice, especially when she mentioned family.

"I think I understand now." Eleanor replied, as-a-matter-of-factly. "But there is one more thing that bothers me. You, young Guylos envoy. What do you stand to gain from this?"

"Plus, isn't that supposed to be beneficial for you? Your Empire will rise again, should the Viscount have his way. I personally find your motivations confusing." Itsuki adds to the air of skepticism.

"I just…don't want another tragedy from happening again. Plus, I do not acknowledge the Viscount's actions to be representative of the Empire's true intentions." Naruse defends her stance.

"Those are rather big words coming from one as young as you." Itsuki commended Naruse's will. "And how do you know all this? The details of the Viscount's plan, and the conspiracy of the Daemon family?"

"Because…" Naruse paused, unsure of how to continue. A tap from Alyx urged her on and she musters up the courage to say it out loud. "My real name…is Iris Lilith Daemon, the second daughter of Annalise Frain Daemon, heir to the royal house."

Upon hearing it, Alyx's eyes grew as wide as saucers. "C-come again?"

"You heard me." Naruse shoots her a sad smile. "I am of the very family I detest. I am involved in this conspiracy as well."

For a while, Alyx found herself unable to speak as she processed everything she had just learned in the last few minutes. She knew Naruse lied about her identity when they first met but she just didn't expect her to be who she said she was right now.

"I suppose, you can say that's part of the reason why I told you all this." Naruse turns to look at the two Helic soldiers. "Are we Guylos? Or are we Zenebas? If the Republic wins this war, would we switch sides to them? I don't even know who we are anymore. Shame had already fallen over us when we rebuilt the Death Saurer, that monster that claimed many lives and again when we defected to the rising Neo-Zenebas. And now they intend to repeat this cycle…I don't want it! I don't want to live while people look at us like we're some kind of monster!"

"I see." Itsuki finally laid his questions to rest as he turned to the Captain. "So, what do we make of this?"

"Well, this information does not affect our mission of taking down the Viscount either way. But—" Eleanor extends a hand to touch Naruse's face. "Thanks to her, we at least have something else to go on." Letting go, she turns to face Itsuki again. "We should start by monitoring the territories under the Daemon family's influence. Perhaps we could narrow down his movements to those places."

"Understood. I'll ask Black Hound if they could do it for us."

"That would be most appreciated Lieutenant."

"So, you believe me?" Naruse looks at Eleanor with sad yet hopeful eyes.

"Well…I don't think you have any reason to lie." Eleanor tries to assure her. "The Retaliation Force was established in order to deal with enemies like the Viscount. Even if you hadn't told us this information, we would still confront him and try to take him out. Only difference is now, we have other leads we can use against him."

"Thank you, Captain Eleanor." Naruse bowed her head as a gesture of gratitude.

"Itsuki told me you requested our protection in exchange for this information. In that case, we'll need to keep you aboard this Zoid while the Viscount is still at large as I'm quite sure that he will be coming for you after that incident at Kalanes."

"Yes, I understand." Naruse agreed with the arrangement. "Since I destroyed the database containing the body he's looking for, he'll surely think that I know where it is."

"And do you?" Itsuki asked.

"No, I do not. I haven't been able to dig that deep. But then again, the Viscount doesn't know that."

"Or he just needs a bargaining chip in order to exploit more resources from the Daemon family."

"Yes, that is also possible."

"One more thing." Eleanor interrupts the discussion. "As you can see, the Zoids in this vessel are all old generation designs we just recommissioned from old bases and outposts. If it's alright with you, I would like to use your Zoid in combat sometimes. " Eleanor turns to Alyx to discuss this matter instead. "You do not need to be the one to pilot it if you want no part in this arrangement. If that's the case then I would make the necessary arrangements for you to return to Kalanes, if that is what you want."

"Alyx…I thank you for staying with me until this point in time. But—why don't you go back? Your life has been relatively peaceful so far. There's no need for you to involve yourself in this." Naruse suggests.

"Hey, Naruse? Is this what you want? What you really want?" Instead of answering, Alyx asks Naruse a question.

"Yes. I am sure. I'm sorry if I didn't tell you right away."

"Then that settles it." Alyx turns to face Eleanor. "That won't be necessary Captain. I'll pilot the Liger Zero myself. It is my property after all."

"Alyx?" Naruse asks, surprised.

"I told you didn't I? I don't care whoever you are. If there is something I can do to help someone like you, who is trying to prevent any more tragedies from occurring, then I will do it. It's our responsibility. Though—" Alyx suddenly stood up and took Naruse's hand in hers. "I don't know how it feels to go against the likes of your own family…"

"Alyx…Thanks."

"Hehehe…!" Captain Eleanor laughs at Alyx's sudden optimistic outburst. "Very well. From now on, you're officially recognized as a mercenary under our employ. We're counting on you, Alyx Ledesma."

"Of cours—I mean…Yes ma'am!"

"Alright." Eleanor turns to Itsuki. "Lieutenant, have someone escort Naruse to her own quarters. I believe we still have some we could spare. As for Alyx, take her down to the simulation area. She'll need training. And fast."

"Sure." Itsuki replied as he gestured to the girls to go. "You can wait by the elevator. Someone should be up in a while."

"Got it! Let's go Naruse! I want to look down at the ground and see how high we're up now!" Alyx drags Naruse out excitedly, leaving Itsuki and Eleanor alone in the room.

"So…do you trust them?" Itsuki asks Eleanor.

"I have my doubts. But still—the heir of the Daemon family… If ever she turns on us, I won't hesitate to use her against her own family." Eleanor explains as she closes her eyes.

"So what you're saying is…you do not care either way?"

"Of course I do. I'm just preparing for the worst. But if it were up to me, I'd prefer it if they really are our allies. I've already been through situations where I had to put my faith in total strangers. The people who adopted me, Black Hound… and you, Itsuki. So far, this faith hadn't let me down." Eleanor answers with a smile. "Keep a watchful eye on them would you?"

"Of course. As long as I can spare them."

* * *

"I said some pretty big words but—man!" Alyx cursed as she loses again in the simulated match. Immediately after the meeting, Naruse headed to the room she was given so she could rest while Alyx immediately headed down to the simulators to train. Try as she might though, she couldn't even get past some basic challenges. "Arghh! What am I doing wrong?!"

"You have good reflexes. And from the looks of it, it seems like you've already familiarized yourself with the Liger's basic controls." Itsuki emerged from his own seat and walked towards Alyx. "Instead, what you lack seems to be good judgement."

"Judgement?"

"You're not sure how best to react when confronted in battle. It was pretty easy to see your errors during that match. That leaves you with a lot of openings." Itsuki carefully assesses Alyx's piloting.

"Judgement eh…how should I improve my judgement exactly?" Alyx wondered as she leaned back on the seat of her cubicle. "Outside of actual combat experience that is?"

"Well, it helps if you're familiar with the mechanics of the enemy you're fighting apart from your own. That way, you also familiarize yourself with its quirks and weaknesses. Zoids are not humans so any prior knowledge about fighting on the street or on some bar isn't going to help. Animals react differently from people after all." Itsuki explains.

"Having fun here?" Looking up ahead, the two saw Captain Eleanor walking over to them. "So, how goes your training?" She asks Alyx.

"Not too good…I can't even beat sir Itsuki." Alyx sighed as she readjusted her settings.

"Hahaha! Yeah, I remember my first simulated match. Also got my ass handed over to me on a silver platter." Eleanor tries to encourage Alyx. "Do not be afraid to try again. We all start somewhere."

"Time is of the essence though so you'll need to learn fast." Itsuki threw in his two cents worth before facing Eleanor. "Think we should have her stand by during our attack on Mount Cybele? I don't think she's ready."

"Mount Cybele? Isn't it that really big mountain down south? The one usually covered in mist?" Alyx asked upon hearing the name.

"Yes. Our scouts have reported that a base belonging to the Viscount is located there." Itsuki explained. "We'll rendezvous with a supply unit for repairs and resupply. Then we head over there and meet up with Black Hound, a mercenary group who has been helping us for a long time. From there, we launch our attack."

"Maybe I can watch how you guys do it in the meantime. I may be able to pick up on things that way." Alyx offers her own suggestion but otherwise, she agreed with Itsuki about staying behind for a while.

"Hmmm…" Eleanor glanced around the hangar until her eyes fell on Alyx's Liger Zero. "Think you can pilot it in the meantime Lieutenant?"

"I don't know. I don't really want to go out there in a Zoid without any armaments." Itsuki seemed hesitant about the idea.

"In terms of armaments though, doesn't the Shield Liger and the Liger Zero share the same basic dimension of attack? Both are high-speed Liger Zoids centered on close range combat using their teeth and fangs. The Shield Liger just has more guns, I guess but in the Zero's case, the claws easily beat the gun's output." Alyx spoke up, causing the two soldiers to look back at her.

"The Shield Liger has an E-shield, the Liger Zero doesn't. That small detail could easily be the crucial factor that separates life from death." Itsuki counters Alyx's argument. "Good observation though. That's what I mean about understanding their mechanisms."

"However, she does have a point Lieutenant. A high-performance Zoid like the Liger Zero in your hands would significantly boost our combat capability." Eleanor suggests.

"I suppose if we have to. We'll see." Itsuki somehow relents to the idea.

"By the way, how were you able to defeat the Geno Saurer? Apart from it being damaged and all." Eleanor asks, recalling the battle the day before.

"Hmm…Well, Naruse guided me throughout that fight. She made most of the calls and told me how to respond." Alyx tries to recall the details.

"I see."

 _Crack! Rumble!_

The whole hangar suddenly shook in surprise upon hearing the ferocious sound of lightning raining down around them. While more modern Zoids had adequate EMP shielding, getting hit could still cause potential damage to the giant Zoid's systems, not to mention the interference it might cause to the Magnesser System. Yet, the lightning itself isn't the primary cause of alarm as the pilots suddenly came running over to their Zoids while Eleanor ran to the elevator and rode it back to the bridge.

"What's going on?" Alyx asked. She found the soldiers' reaction to a usual weather phenomenon odd.

"Enemy attack…Damn, have they caught on to our plans?!" Itsuki cursed under his breath as he made his way over to one of the Shield Ligers; the one which had new Thruster Guns equipped to its back.

"So this lightning is artificial?" Alyx wondered out loud.

"A thunderstorm in the middle of the desert during a non-typhoon season? It's got to be." Kiminari replied as he passed her, carrying a whole box of tools and gadgets with him.

* * *

Outside, approximately eight miles away from the Alexander, Caitlyn's Liger Zero X stood fiercely on top of a cavern entrance, its E-drivers powering the pair of blades it used to conjure up lightning and rain it down from the sky. Although the distance made it difficult to land an accurate hit, it did not matter to the Viscount, who was waiting below, in the cockpit of his own Zoid.

"Wise move." He murmurs as he watched the gargantuan transport Zoid descend from the sky in an effort to avoid Caitlyn's assault.

"So, do we just run in and attack?" Reynard asks from inside his Lightning Saix which stood beside the Viscount's Berserk Fuhrer, poised and waiting for the opportunity to strike.

"Maybe." With a slight nudge of the console, the Fuhrer roared and charged in, followed closely by the Lightning Saix. "Caitlyn, halt your assault for now lest you fry us by accident. Also, see to it that the Geno Saurer is prepared and in position."

"Understood sir." Upon receiving the order, the Zero X stopped its attack, retracting its Stunblades to its back. She had not been ordered to follow so Caitlyn stayed behind and observed how the Viscount intended on confronting their adversary.

The Hammer Kaiser opened fire using its smaller guns and the occasional missile. But the white Tyrannosaurus simply dodged the incoming shots or shot them down if they were big enough. In a span of a few minutes, the Fuhrer had closed in on the Hammer Kaiser. Maneuvering with a speed that surpasses most Zoids of its size, it began taking shots at the Hammer Kaiser's smaller guns, destroying them one by one.

"He always liked to show off…" Reynard grunted, his Lightning Saix standing still as he no longer bothered to provide any form of cover for the Viscount. He noticed something on the Hammer Kaiser from his sensors though. Near the dorsal fin where the bridge might possibly be located, a launch catapult extended and something big leaped out, aimed at the directions where the Viscount's Berserk Fuhrer stood. "Hey, watch out!" Reynard warned the Viscount over their channel.

The Berserk Fuhrer looked up and upon seeing the incoming bogey, moved out of the way, managing to dodge a Strike Laser Claw intended for its head. For a moment, the Viscount thought it was their stolen Liger Zero. But it was not. What greeted him as he turned to look was a white Shield Liger, equipped with some new arsenal. Barely had he stopped his Zoid's momentum when the Liger's guns turned and open fired, sending a couple of shots which he immediately deflected with his Zoid's E-shield. Somehow, this Liger's offensive style felt familiar. He had fought this pilot before. The Fuhrer's eyes lit up with deadly recognition and charged at the Liger, its Buster Claws rotating at high speeds. The Liger dodged with minimal movement and fired a couple more shots which the Viscount merely dodged.

"Itsuki Touya…Heh, should've known a familiar fly would show himself out here." The Viscount called out on the open channel, taunting his adversary.

"Likewise." Itsuki answered back, his Liger growling in anger as it stared down its huge adversary. From behind, he was immediately reinforced by two more Shield Liger MK-IIs and two more Command Wolf LCs.

"Quite a welcome party you've assembled here." The Viscount pulled back a little, putting distance between him and the pack that came out to face him. Turning to the open channel, he called out to the Hammer Kaiser. "There is no cause for alarm, Helic soldiers. I did not come here to fight with you right now."

"Says the man who nearly killed us with a lightning strike. What did you come here for, a couple of shots? Maybe a glass of whisky?" It was Itsuki who replied, his Liger roaring defiantly at their enemy.

"Heh!" From inside his cockpit, the Viscount smirked to himself. "I came to arrest a certain criminal –wanted for her acts of treason against our noble Empire. You may have "accidentally" taken her in as a refugee during your return from that—incident at Kalanes."

Itsuki knew he was talking about Iris, the Daemon family heir. Would it be wise to just hand her over? He didn't know. Right now, her fate, as well as theirs, rested in the hands of Captain Leesa Eleanor.

* * *

 **Writer's Note:** Chapter 5 complete!

Zoids spotlight for today is the Shield Liger TG! (The one Itsuki is using in this chapter) It appeared in the Zoids: Original storyline along with the Zoids SS Manga. It is a variant that boasts higher speed (and possibly firepower) thanks to inclusion of the thruster guns on its back. Its shield has been upgraded to sport 20% more power while the regular Strike Claws are now replaced with the more updated Strike Laser Claws.

Credits to The Iron Bible for the info. For now, it's mostly regular designs that make an appearance but expect to see more NJR-ish (and maybe some OJR?) Zoids to pop up in the next chapters. See you on the next chapter!


	7. Chapter 6 - Reunion

_(Disclaimer: I do not own the Zoids franchise. Copyright goes to Tomy for making this fantastic series. All I own are this story, its characters and some concept Zoids that might appear.)_

 **Zoids: Lost Eden**

 **Chapter 6: Reunion**

* * *

The Viscount's ultimatum has gotten everyone in the Hammer Kaiser riled up. From her place in the bridge, Captain Leesa Eleanor thought hard about her answer. True enough, they can just hand over the girl given that she's already provided them the information they need. But on the other hand, the Viscount may become more powerful with his further exploitation of that accursed family, who seems to have a notorious reputation for causing nothing but trouble for them with their discoveries. Just as she was feeling lost, Naruse herself entered the bridge.

"Captain! Hand me over!" Naruse voluntarily stood up to the task. "Only you know the information I have given you. You're the only ones who can stop him right now."

"There's no guarantee that he'll keep his word if we do!" Eleanor sternly protests. "If he gets you back, he won't miss an opportunity to take out an enemy. I'm sure of it!"

"But if we don't, more and more people under your command will die! Does that sit well with you?!"

"I know goddammit!" Eleanor temporarily loses her temper, surprising everyone in the room. "I know what it feels like alright…" Switching over to the open channel, she called out to the Viscount.

" _So…what is your decision Captain?"_ The Viscount's cold voice resounded out of the speakers.

"We are unable to comply. We have not taken in any refugee from Kalanes." Instead of outright refusing though, Eleanor denies the allegation.

" _Didn't you recover a Liger Zero type Zoid when you left Kalanes?"_ The Viscount asked on. Naruse was about to speak up but Eleanor forbade her to with a gesture of her hand.

"We did but, that Liger Zero belongs to a mercenary under our employ. It may have originally belonged to you but serial registration now reads it as property of the Kalanes government and pilot registration will confirm that the owner of the Zoid is our mercenary."

" _Mercenary? Well, hand her over along with the Zoid nonetheless. I will keep my word. If I intended to shoot you down, I would've attacked with a larger force. Which I obviously do not have right now."_

"Rather timid for a man who is known for destroying over seven guerilla bases…" Eleanor tries to intimidate the Viscount but received no further response. Switching off the open channel, she mulls over the advantages and disadvantages of handing the girl over. They may be able to avoid battle now, but what about tomorrow? Next week? Such thoughts flooded her head. One thing is certain though: Either way, the Viscount will eventually shoot them down. Either today or the next. Unless they can find a way to somehow turn things around.

"Captain!" Naruse called out one more time but Eleanor rejects her suggestion and patched a channel to Itsuki instead.

"Lieutenant…can you shoot down the Berserk Fuhrer?"

" _I'll try. I can't guarantee anything but I will try to shoot him down!"_ Itsuki replied from his end.

" _Time's up. What is your answer?"_ The Viscount called back yet was only greeted by silence. _"Very well… I will now shoot down your transporter."_

" _All forces scatter! Do not let him near the Hammer Kaiser! Guard it with your life if necessary!"_ Itsuki's order rang out on all of their channels as their small group charged towards the Berserk Fuhrer with the full intention of bringing it down.

"This battle is meaningless!" Naruse angrily walked towards the elevator but she was intercepted by Eleanor.

"What do you intend to do?! Walk out there with your hands up?!" Eleanor scolds the young girl.

"I just don't want any meaningless bloodshed! Not for me…" Naruse protests but Eleanor angrily shouted back.

"You think they're fighting out there for you?! You're mistaken! Itsuki and the others are not just fighting for your sake but for the sake of everyone on this damn Zoid! Walking out of there, surrendering to the enemy seems like a pretty poor way to repay them!" Eleanor turned to her weapons operator. "Ready the Supercannons! We'll hit these bastards hard!"

" _Yo!"_ Another transmission called on the intercom. But it wasn't from any of the warring Zoids outside.

It was Alyx, calling from the cockpit of the Liger Zero.

* * *

Itsuki and his allies fought bravely against the like of the superior Guylos Zoid. The Shield Liger MK-II's heavy cannons blasted furiously at their adversary, trying their hardest to keep it at bay and prevent it from using the dreaded Charged Particle Cannons. While the two Ligers kept up the ranged assault, Itsuki took the fight closer, trying hard to land hits with his Strike Laser Claws and Thruster Guns at point-blank range. The Command Wolves waited for the Berserk Fuhrer to try for a melee attack with its Buster Claws, allowing Itsuki some window to get his Zoid out of the way.

" _As expected from Itsuki-!"_ The Viscount clenched his teeth in the midst of such heavy bombardment. He didn't want to admit it but, these guys may actually be able to kill him. He knows that if he stops moving, he's done for. But the Shield Liger TG's maneuvers are making it difficult for him to do so.

"Looks like you need some help…" A bright flash of lasers suddenly flew over the Berserk Fuhrer's head, hitting one of the Shield Ligers near the leg. Turning to face the direction where the beams came from, the Helic Forces saw the Lightning Saix headed their way, guns ablaze. Passing by the Ligers at full speed did not help much as those Zoids were much heavier than the nimble cheetah but, Reynard did succeed in breaking up their momentum, allowing the Berserk Fuhrer a small window of opportunity to reorganize itself. Snarling, the Fuhrer intercepted Itsuki's Strike Laser Claw mid-charge and tossed him away. The Shield Liger would've easily crashed to the ground if not for the added maneuverability of its new toys. Before Itsuki could react though, the Fuhrer turned and charged at the two Ligers, Buster Claws at the ready.

"No, you don't-!" Itsuki's Liger roared as it followed, its guns blazing as it shot round after round, trying to deter the charging Guylos Zoid. Likewise, the Command Wolves fired a barrage but they were easily intercepted by the Lightning Saix.

"Heh! So much for the famed might of the Retaliation Force…" The Viscount gloated as his Zoid landed right in the middle of the two Shield Ligers. Surpassing the Ligers' reaction speed, the Fuhrer turned around and drove one of its Buster Claws on the sides of a Shield Liger, drilling its way through armor and into the core inside. The other one tried to pull back and fire a barrage of heavy hitting beams but the Fuhrer merely deflected the rounds with the remaining Buster Claw. Having finished off the Liger, the Fuhrer turned its attention to the other one. Before it could put up an E-shield, the Fuhrer's tail swung forward, crippling the top of its mane and its heavy beam cannons. It had barely dodged its assault. But that did not deter the Berserk Fuhrer.

"Viscount-!" A cry from above. Itsuki finally managed to close in and charged head on, his E-shield deployed at full power. Setting up his own shield, the two Zoids collided into each other. Simulations have shown that two colliding shields neutralize each other's effects but even if the shield on Itsuki's Liger was upgraded to have twenty percent more output, the power difference was as clear as night and day.

Suddenly, he felt the Berserk Fuhrer's shield give way for a moment. The other Liger caught on to what Itsuki intended and had also charged in, bringing its own shield into the equation. " _Just a little more-!"_ Itsuki steeled himself as he watched the shields crack and eventually dissipate, pushing back all three Zoids away from each other. Unfortunately, the Berserk Fuhrer managed to grab hold of the other Liger's leg and when it staggered back because of the shock, it threw the other Liger farther out, crashing loudly on the desert floor. Fortunately the canopy was intact. The pilot would live- though he might not, seeing as his fighting strength was down to just him and a damaged Command Wolf.

"Heh…so this is how it ends huh?" Itsuki laughed to himself. It was weird but when faced with a hopeless situation, people laughed instead. Suddenly, a new signature popped up on his radar. The Hammer Kaiser's catapult was deploying something. Upon taking a closer look, he realized it was Alyx's Liger Zero.

* * *

"Alyx, what are you doing?!" Naruse called over from the bridge as she watched her friend strap on the buckles on her seat and activated the main control units.

" _Well, that masked creep wants this Zoid and I'm bringing it to him. In the end, it wouldn't matter since it won't be you who's inside the cockpit. The plan can go on."_ Alyx informs her friend with a grin.

"No! I cannot allow it. Get out of there Alyx! I'll head out there myself!"

" _No! You stay here and try to find this…this—whatever that core connects to, and destroy it before it can be used again._ "

"Admittedly, that is a compromise that works…" Even Eleanor had to admit, the girl made some sense.

" _B-but, if they realize that you're not me…they'll kill you, Alyx."_ Naruse tried one last time to persuade Alyx though she knew Alyx wouldn't listen.

" _Relax! It doesn't have to come to that. If we can take out that white Tyrannosaurus that is!"_

"You think you can defeat it with your Liger Zero Alyx?" Eleanor asks the reckless pilot.

" _Well, no. But sir Itsuki's out there as well so I'm sure we can think of something. Plus, Naruse can relay me some instructions from your end."_ Alyx replied with much optimism. " _Come on Naruse! Let's take this creep down!"_

Seeing that Alyx wouldn't change her mind, Naruse took a deep breath and nodded. Alyx flashed her an informal salute before cutting off visual communication.

Down at the catapult, the Liger Zero stepped on the launch pad which had started charging up with electricity. It donned the available CAS component; a set of streamlined blue armor and a pair of gigantic Ion Boosters. Kiminari was working on the control panel, briefing Alyx about the equipment mounted on her Zoid.

"The Jäger is designed for fighting at high speeds. It maintains a good balance but you have to be careful as the shock from accelerating too much might knock you out. The cockpit adjusts so that you can withstand the force better but even still, try not to go overboard." Kiminari warns Alyx. "Hmm? Where's my toolbox?"

"CAS system code Jäger, ready for launch!" Alyx gripped the joysticks with her hands and took a deep breath. " _Okay Zero, this is going to be our second match…Are you ready?"_ Alyx thought to herself while the Liger Zero let out a soft growl. "Deploying!"

With the push of a button, the Zero shot forward, heading out into the battlefield ahead. The charge from the launch catapult still lingered in the Zero's feet, moving just a little bit faster than normal. "Okay, so far so good. Now, let's see if we can take on that ugly dragon!"

"Reynard, intercept that Liger Zero! Try to lead it according to the plan!" The Viscount orders the Lightning Saix, still locked into a wrestle with Itsuki's Liger.

"Got it…" In an instant, the Lightning Saix took off, running just behind the Jäger. It tried to fire its lasers but the Jäger immediately caught wind of it and maneuvered to the right.

"The guns on that Zoid don't swivel…my guess is that it causes the Zoid to lose its balance while it runs in high speeds." Alyx observed as she maneuvers her Zoid back to confront her speedy adversary.

"Not only that but, the Lightning Saix isn't capable of making sharp turns. Although speed is your primary asset, agility is what you'll need to bring it down." Naruse added as she communicated with Alyx over a secure channel.

"So, what do I do?" Alyx asked.

"Speed up and lead the Lightning Saix over to the left. Don't stray too far from the Hammer Kaiser."

"Got it." Alyx carefully did as she was told. Firing a couple of shots with her Vulcans, she caught the attention of the Lightning Saix, forcing him to run after her.

"Now, make a sharp turn on the left and prepare to fire as the Lightning Saix comes within range." Upon the command, the Jäger turned left and immediately rotated to face the incoming Zoid. "Fire!" Simultaneously, the Jäger fired both its Vulcans and Shock Cannons. While the smaller rounds failed to cause a visible dent, the Shock Cannons managed to cause some visible damage just right near the spine where the Pulse Laser Rifles were mounted. The Saix turned to escape and this time, it was the Jäger chasing it down.

"Ah! I get it!" Alyx finally caught on to the plan. Deploying the Ion Boosters, the Jäger immediately went to its top speed of 330 km/h, catching up to its speedier opponent in no time. Using its heavier bulk, the Jäger intentionally bumped the Lightning Saix, causing its Pulse Lasers to swivel beyond its usual allotted range, sending the Lightning Saix tumbling down as it loses its balance. Once the Zoid was down, Alyx barraged it with her guns until the Zoid could no longer move. One down!

"The Lieutenant-!" She immediately ran back and hoped that she was just in time to help out Itsuki in the fight.

Meanwhile, the Berserk Fuhrer continued to fight it out against Itsuki's quick and calculated maneuvers. He was doing well despite the performance difference but the Berserk Fuhrer still prevented him from landing any decisive blows. His main obstacle seemed to be the Buster Claws, which had a very wide range of movement, preventing him from using his more powerful melee weapons against it.

A barrage of Vulcan fire caught their attention as the Zero Jäger came running towards them. Knocking away Itsuki's Liger for a moment, the Fuhrer charged the Jäger, who instantly got out of the way thanks to its speed. But the Viscount immediately followed up with some shots from its Buster Claws, pinning the Jäger down. Before it could close the distance however, Itsuki's Liger ran back up to it and bit one of the Claw's mechanical arms. Seeing the opportunity, Alyx closed in and initiated a Strike Laser Claw but the Fuhrer immediately intercepted it with the remaining Buster Claw.

"Just how versatile is this thing?!" Alyx shouted in anger as she tries to force her way past the Berserk Fuhrer though no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't exceed its power.

" _Alyx! Lieutenant! Can you both hear me?"_ Naruse suddenly called from the Hammer Kaiser.

"Yes but, we're a little busy right now-!" Itsuki replied as he struggled with his Zoid's controls, trying to rip out the Buster Claw off from its chassis.

" _We need you to hold it down for ten more seconds. When we give the signal, disengage immediately! Clear?"_

"Yeah, sure thing!" Alyx replied as she added a second Strike Laser Claw to her grip on the Berserk Fuhrer.

"Don't take too long! We're at our limit-!" Itsuki grunted and although the Shield Liger's strength started to slip, it stepped on the Fuhrer's leg as it tried to keep the Zoid locked and unable to move.

Four more seconds. Three. Two…

" _Now!"_ Naruse gave the signal and the two Ligers leapt out of the way. As the Fuhrer turned its head to see what was happening, three shots from the Hammer Kaiser's Supercannons rained on the unshielded Zoid, sending it far out from where it last stood.

"Did we get it?" Alyx wondered as the Zero walked over to take a better look. Slowly, the Berserk Fuhrer rose up. It didn't take any hits to the cockpit as the head armor still remained intact but the left side armor and Buster Claw were completely blown off. So was its right arm, leaving only a cluster of wires dangling from where a claw used to be. Sensing danger, the Berserk Fuhrer turned to leave, its thrusters driving it away from the battle scene and towards a small cavern up ahead.

"Oh no, you don't!" Alyx could've just let it go but if it lives now, she thought it might make an attempt on Naruse later on. She had to end it right here and right now. Running after the wounded Zoid with her Ion Boosters at full power, she proceeded to chase it down, ignoring Itsuki's warnings.

"No! Don't chase it too far!" Itsuki called out, his Liger chasing after Alyx but Alyx didn't stop. Before she could even come close to it, a wired claw rocketed towards the Zero's legs, causing it to lose balance and trip. "On the right-!"

Alyx glanced up and saw the blue Geno Saurer, the same one she fought at Kalanes, waiting by the darkness, its Killer Claw retracting back to its arm. Before she could get up again, the Liger Zero X descended down, striking Alyx's Zero with a blast from its Stunblades, causing Alyx's controls to go haywire. She had been lured into a trap.

Itsuki tried to intercept but he was warded off by the blue Geno Saurer, firing its Pulse Lasers at him which he dodged. Without an E-shield though, taking on the two new Zoids is impossible.

"Good job, Warrant Officer, Caitlyn." The Viscount commended his two subordinates.

"So, shall we strike the Hammer Kaiser down now?" Sakura asked but the Viscount merely shook his head.

"Retrieve Reynard. We're getting out of here." The Viscount orders the two. Before any of them could protest, new signatures appeared on their sensors. The Helic supply unit had arrived, bringing fresh troops and Zoids, outnumbering their tiny group. Still, it didn't matter. They got what they wanted.

Itsuki could only watch Alyx get taken away by their enemies, disappearing into the darkness of the caverns. Frustrated at losing more comrades to the Viscount, he slammed his fist angrily at the side of his cockpit. Once again, he had been defeated.

* * *

From inside the non-responsive cockpit of her Zoid, Alyx worked tirelessly to try and bring it back to proper working order. The effects of the Stunblades were severe but they weren't fatal. Most of her Zoid's internal components were intact; all she needed to do was to find a way to restart it.

She needed to wake Liger Zero up at all costs.

Outside, the Imperial group forged on, taking a long and dark route through the caverns. Fortunately, the way was already paved long ago, back when Emperor Muroa first deployed the Seismosaurus force. Leading the group was Liger Zero X and Geno Saurer, with Alyx's Zero, the Lightning Saix and the Berserk Fuhrer trailing behind in an Imperial Gustav.

Smack in the middle of both the badly damaged Zoids, Alyx was sure no one is able to hear her working in the middle of the cockpit. Opening compartments, reattaching wires, soldering loose connections…it was a good thing Kiminari left a toolbox inside the cockpit when he attached the CAS.

"Come on! Work with me here Zero…" Alyx muttered under her breath as she finished replacing a fuse which shorted out. Again, thank the heavens for Kiminari's toolbox. Getting herself back up in a proper seating position, Alyx began the reboot and reactivated the Liger Zero. " _Come on…!"_ Inside the cockpit, Alyx prayed. Prayed for the Zero to wake up. Prayed for a miracle.

 _Growl…_

"Yes! You're awake!" Alyx jumped up in joy and her head hit the ceiling of the Zero's canopy. Fortunately, the shock snapped her back to the reality of the situation. "Ouch, ouch…Easy there boy." Alyx whispers to large Zoid. "We're right in the middle of the bad guys. We wouldn't want to give ourselves away."

Again, Alyx counted the hours. She hates long walks in such a cramped cockpit. Looking around, the surroundings were still dark as she kept most of the Zero's systems off. They were probably still inside the cavern. She kind of wished she could go outside. She wants to at least see what the place looks like. She can't do so though, not until they reach the base. As of this moment, these people actually think she's Naruse. If she shows up now, she's dead. If only there was a way to see outside…

" _Wait! There is! I fixed the Liger Zero after all!"_ Alyx suddenly remembered. Taking great care not to alert anyone around, she made sure to dim all other lights and only booted up the cameras and monitors. Finally, she could make out the stalactites and stalagmites jutting out from the cavern. A few more meters later, the surrounding cavern grew brighter and brighter until she could finally see the sky, which had now changed into an intense orange, signaling that the sun is setting soon and the two moons shall once again light up the sky like old withered fruits on a hot summer day.

Looking to the sides, she can see some flora finally growing around them. " _We're probably close to a watering hole or something…ugh!"_ Her thoughts were suddenly disturbed when the trailers suddenly tilted a little upwards. They were moving uphill, it seems. Leaning back on the cockpit seat, her eyes wandered to gaze at the lush vegetation on the right side of her Zoid. She thought she saw something blink for a moment. A quick flash of neon green light, lasting only a split second. Alyx rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't daydreaming. But only darkness and shadow greeted her in the undergrowth.

Suddenly, the trailer stopped. They seemed to have arrived at their destination. She could see the Geno Saurer and the Zero X standing in front of what looked like a base entrance. Upon recognizing the two Zoids, the gates opened and they headed inside.

The base in question was huge. Over sixty Zoids of different kinds were gathered together, some receiving maintenance and others just sitting idly, waiting for their share of action. The Berserk Fuhrer alighted first, heading into a platform reserved just for its use while teams of engineers and mechanics swarmed to the white Zoid, starting repairs immediately as a masked pilot alighted from its cockpit.

" _So this is the Viscount huh?"_ Alyx thought to herself. He seemed much more intimidating when he spoke from inside his Zoid but nevertheless, he did have the air and presence of a natural leader. "Oh crap!" Alyx panicked upon seeing the masked man point to her Zoid, followed by a group of mechanics who immediately rushed over. She couldn't let them see that the Zero is up and about.

"Shhh…go to sleep for a while, I'll get you soon. Maybe a little later…" She whispered to the Zoid as she disconnected the new fuse she installed. Realizing that hiding it in her body would be futile, she immediately buried it deep in the leather seat, along with the other important tools in the toolbox. If ever she found her opening, she needed a way to reactivate her Zoid.

* * *

The mechanics team didn't go to the Zero's cockpit right away. First, they made sure everything is disabled, checking parts and weapons. Even the dents on the armor from fighting two Tyrannosaurus Zoids in one day were given a look over. As the group did this, another one got to work on opening the Zero's cockpit. Hooking up a computer to the external control panel, they worked on releasing all security locks which normally takes less than five minutes.

"So they changed its armor huh?" Captain Ash walked over to the recaptured Zoid, bringing Sakura along with him. Alexei shot the younger girl an angry glare as she approached. "Rather ingenious for the rebels, I say."

"You have to give them credit for their resourcefulness Captain." The Viscount replied while he kept his gaze on the mechanical feline in front of them. The mechanic working on the cockpit signaled that everything was clear and he was opening the canopy now.

"Wait-!" The Viscount stopped the mechanic for a while and turned to Sakura. "Warrant Officer, head over there and prepare to apprehend our intruder. You may use lethal force if necessary."

"Sir!" Sakura obliged and immediately climbed up to the Zero's cockpit. Her gun at the ready, she called out to the person inside. "Come out with your hands up! Don't try anything funny!"

"Alright! Hold your horses—" For a while the Viscount took notice of the girl's…funny way of speaking. He did not remember her to be like this and in a few minutes, he understood why. The Zero's cockpit opened and an unfamiliar white haired girl stood up, her hands raised in surrender. She turned to face Sakura and her look turned from annoyance into that of recognition. From the place he stood, he could see the same look register on his subordinate's face as well.

"N-no…Alyx?" Sakura could not believe what she's seeing.

"Sakura? No way!" Likewise, Alyx felt the same upon seeing her friend.

* * *

 **Writer's Note:** Chapter 6 is up! The two friends finally see each other again...on opposing sides.

I'm not sure about the canonicity of the neutralizing E-shields part. That was a maneuver Herman pulled off in Guardian Force where his Shield Liger disabled the Death Stinger's E-shield using that technique.

Well, that's all for now folks. See you in the next chapter!


	8. Chapter 7 - Inspecting the Goods

_(Disclaimer: I do not own the Zoids franchise. Copyright goes to Tomy for making this fantastic series. All I own are this story, its characters and some concept Zoids that might appear.)_

 **Zoids: Lost Eden**

 **Chapter 7: Inspecting the Goods**

* * *

"Damn!" Itsuki cursed as he punched the wall of the Hammer Kaiser. Meanwhile, his Shield Liger TG was being loaded onto a Hover Cargo, a Republican carrier Zoid brought in by the supply unit they met up with after surviving that encounter with the Viscount as the Hammer Kaiser no longer had the capabilities to repair it. The sadness of losing four soldiers under his unit exceeded any feelings of relief of having emerged from that situation alive.

Meanwhile, the other soldiers were just relived that they're finally getting reinforcements and new Zoids. Proceeding with their duties with nothing but older generation designs made it very difficult. Most of them were huddled around the Hover Cargoes, watching the new Zoids roll out and transfer over to the Hammer Kaiser.

New generation Gorhecks and Arosaurers comprised the bulk of their reinforcements and immediately replaced the damaged Command Wolves. A small unit of aerial Zoids were also added to the Alexander's troops namely, Raynos and Pteras equipped with the CP-06 Bomber Units. These Zoids were smaller than the earlier Shield Ligers and Command Wolves but their numbers easily closed the difference in performance and their smaller frames made it easy for them to fit several units inside the Alexander's hangars.

For heavier hitters, the Retaliation Force was also given four Gunblusters; powerful Ankylosaurus Zoids capable of bringing down even the Berserk Fuhrer should they cross paths with it again. A Blade Liger Mirage was also transferred over to the Alexander, a variant that features enhanced components such as the inclusion of Attack Boosters and Strike Laser Claws. Most of the remaining Shield Liger pilots immediately switched over to the Gunblusters; their wounds from fighting the Viscount were still fresh in their minds and they wanted payback. Their force now totaled to fifteen ground Zoids and ten flying Zoids.

"Lieutenant Itsuki! Captain Eleanor has asked me to call you." A young girl who serves as the Alexander's operator called out to the furious pilot. "She says the meeting's starting."

"Okay." Itsuki calmed himself down. There was no use dwelling on the past events now. He glanced at the new Zoids inside the hangar. Seeing that all the Gunblusters were taken, he pointed at the Blade Liger Mirage. "Tell them to save that Zoid for me, okay?"

"Yes sir!" The operator saluted him as she headed over to the Zoid platforms. Seeing that matter taken care of, Itsuki walked inside the elevator and saw Naruse already there.

"Alyx…" Naruse muttered to herself. "She didn't have to do that. I would've gone out there myself—!"

"There's no use regretting it now I'm afraid." Itsuki answered back. "Alyx thought you to be more important to us than she is. You should honor her sentiments at the very least."

"I know." Naruse looked up to stare at Itsuki straight in the eye. "But, I don't know how I can help in this endeavor anymore."

The elevator reached its destination, which is the corridor that leads to the Alexander's bridge. Alighting first, Itsuki pauses for a moment. "Are you coming along?"

"What for? Didn't you hear me? I have nothing else I can help with anymore."

"Enough with the self-pity!" Taking Naruse by surprise, Itsuki suddenly dragged her out of the elevator and pinned her to the wall, holding her by the collar of her hood. "Your friend allowed herself to get captured so that the enemy will not get their hands on you, who she considered to be more valuable to us than she is! So I want you to head over there, listen to the briefing and use that pathetic excuse for a brain of yours to think about how you can assist us on this quest you led us on! It's the only way you can make up for her sacrifice!"

Despite all that, Naruse found it hard to reply. Itsuki's sudden outburst of anger shook her up and soon she was trembling in his arms. She didn't even realize she was crying. Seeing this, Itsuki loosened his grip and gently let her go. Losing his temper is not like him, especially in front of a girl years younger than he is.

"Look…just come along okay? If you listen in, you might be able to remember something that can help us. Besides, it will help you take your mind off things." Itsuki suggested.

"Okay…" Naruse weakly replied, wiping away the tears in her eyes.

* * *

"I have to say—" The Viscount started, having gathered his Knights in an old office inside their mountain base. "I wasn't expecting that development."

"Iris wasn't piloting the Liger Zero after all. This could be very problematic." Caitlyn paced around the office as she said it, wondering about what to do next.

"We could try interrogating that pilot…" Arlene suggests, all sprawled out on a beanbag chair, playing yet another video game.

"Does that pilot even know who Iris is?" Alexei asks the rather lethargic young lady. "It is possible that Iris is still at Kalanes you know? She may not even be on the Hammer Kaiser at all! If that's the case, then no amount of interrogation will help our cause."

"Or she could be a decoy sent in as per Iris' plan." Arlene counters back. "Just try it, it won't hurt."

"Well, the only thing left to do now is to monitor the Hammer Kaiser's movements. If they know about our plan then I'm sure they'll stop at nothing to prevent it from bearing fruit." The Viscount sighs as he narrows the gaze down to his Knights.

 _Knock, knock!_

Soft raps from the other side of the door suddenly caught their attention. "Enter!" The Viscount gave the permission and Sakura Nagisa came into view, saluting and bowing her head as she came through the door. "Ah, Warrant Officer! What brings you here?" The Viscount greeted her kindly though the Knights all gave her distrustful looks with the exception of Caitlyn.

"Sir…I would like permission to interrogate my POW sir." Sakura states her intentions for her visit though the way she referred to Alyx as her POW obviously irritated Alexei.

"And why should we?" Alexei asks, the anger in his voice slowly rising to his tone.

"I just want to ask her a few questions…please?" Sakura answered as politely as she can in order to not aggravate the Knights any further. Just being in their presence makes her very uncomfortable, though she didn't know what she did that makes them so angry at her.

Upon hearing her reply, Arlene paused her game and put her console down; a rather rare sight as far as everyone in the room is concerned. Walking over to Sakura, she gave her one good look over before kicking Sakura's leg, causing her to fall face first on the floor and a tiny stuffed doll to fall out from her pocket. Pinning her down by sitting on her back, she took out a syringe from her pocket and aimed it at Sakura's throat.

"So…this girl was caught trying to let her rebel friend escape. Fortunately, I was around to stop them and managed to do so, though of course—" Arlene raised the needle up to Sakura's eyes so she could see the poisonous liquid drip from that thin strip of metal. "I had no choice but to use deadly force. Does that sound about right?"

"I'm not—going to do something like that-!" Sakura tries to blurt out a reply but Arlene's constant pressure on her back was making it difficult for her to breathe let alone speak up. "I caught her! I should have—!"

"Trying to question the authority of us Knights?! Know your place!" Alexei lashed out in anger. As he walked over to her in a bid to intimidate her further, he accidentally kicked the small doll Sakura had in her pocket. Arlene espied the tiny doll Sakura made and picked it up.

"Haha! What's this? Did you pick it up from somewhere? It looks hideous! To think you're older than me yet—hahaha!" Arlene laughed at the older girl she held at knife point.

"I—I made it…" Sakura answered back. "I just need a few minutes—! Please—!"

"Oh yeah? And what makes you think we can believe you?!" Alexei proceeded to ask her, the rage still obvious in his voice. "You good-for-nothing throw away!"

All the while, the Viscount watched everything unfold in front of him. A glance from Caitlyn snapped him back and he sighed. "Caitlyn?" He raised an eyebrow at the female Knight and she simply nodded before she walked towards Alexei.

"Caitlyn-" Before Alexei could even finish what he was saying, Caitlyn punched him straight in the face, forcing him off the girl on the floor. "What are you-!" He tried to protest but Caitlyn continued to beat him down, launching kick after kick and punch after punch until he sat on the floor, coughing. With that out of the way, the Viscount turned to Sakura and bade her to rise, which she did, Arlene getting off her back.

"Please excuse him and his lack of knightly gentleness." It was Caitlyn who apologized on behalf of her fellow Knight. Turning to Arlene, she gave her an angry look and held out her hand. "Give it back." She ordered the girl who immediately did as she was told. Upon receiving it, she immediately returned the doll to its rightful owner.

"Indeed." The Viscount also apologized on Alexei's behalf. "Very well, I shall allow it. Try to find out if she met with someone suspicious prior to her acquisition of the Liger Zero. That may provide us with some handful information we desperately need."

"Yes sir, I will." Sakura answers back as she rubbed her neck with her hands. Taking a courteous bow, she excuses herself and leaves the room. Outside, she saw Seral and Vishna waiting for her to come out.

"What happened to you?" Seral asks her after she had closed the door, her face showing her concern over her younger comrade.

"Just had a brush with some of the Knights…" Sakura answers back though her voice felt a little hoarse after that encounter.

"Arrghhh! I hate those Knights! Especially that kid Arlene! They think they can boss us around all the time!" Once again, Vishna complains though both Sakura and Seral share her sentiments this time.

"Yeah… Someday, I'll show them!" Sakura mutters in-between her clenched teeth.

"You don't have to prove anything to those bastards Sakura. Clearly, you're much better than they are and everyone else knows it." Seral encourages her friend.

"Yeah. Besides, you're the one who captured that Zoid in the first place!" Vishna pitches in.

"I guess. But the Knights are just on a whole different level." Sakura just sighs. "There's no use pondering over it now. As long as we're just commoners, they will never see us as anything else."

As they reached a fork in the road, they split up, with Sakura heading down the confinement area where Alyx was locked up.

* * *

A tall blonde girl flashed on the screen on the Alexander's communication monitor. She was in the middle of reporting to Captain Eleanor when her green eyes caught sight of Itsuki who just arrived at the bridge, bringing Naruse with him.

"Ah, Lieutenant. You're just in time." Eleanor greeted him when he walked in. "You've brought Naruse with you huh?"

"I wanted to come Captain." Naruse explained. "No—I needed to come."

"Oh, well. No problem with me." Eleanor turns back to the woman on the screen. "Alta, this is Iris Lilith Daemon of the Daemon family. She's come here to inform us of the Viscount's plan."

"I just go by Naruse though. To avoid suspicion." Naruse added.

" _I see. I am Alta Crowler of Black Hound. We're a group of mercenaries who have a long time alliance with the Helic Republic on this continent."_ The woman in the screen introduced herself.

"And she has some good news for us." Eleanor addresses Itsuki who walked closer so he could hear Alta's report better.

" _Yesterday, I spotted the Viscount's group heading inside the base on Mount Cybele. I managed to infiltrate the fortress and this is what I saw."_ Alta took out a mini projector from her pocket and opened it. The device revealed the Zero Jäger, locked in among the Empire's Zoids.

"Alyx!" Naruse exclaimed when she saw the image.

"What about the pilot? Is she alive?" Itsuki asked.

" _Yes. They locked her in a cell after they opened the canopy a few hours ago. It seems they expected someone else to be piloting the Liger Zero."_ Alta reported.

"So Alyx's intuition was right after all." Eleanor mused to herself. "So, it is also possible that the Viscount still doesn't know about Naruse being on this Zoid."

"Then that settles it." Itsuki stands up, armed with a new sense of determination. "We can destroy that base and take back Alyx at same time. After all, we do owe her one."

" _You want to hit two birds with one stone huh?"_ Alyx eyed Itsuki with a smile.

"Perhaps there is something else I can do." Naruse suddenly spoke up. "If I can get inside the base, I can hack into the mainframe and find the location of the Viscount's other bases."

"Alta, what do you think?" Itsuki asked the mercenary for her opinion on Naruse's proposal.

" _It's a little risky but, it may work provided we can distract the entire base long enough for you to do that."_

"We have twenty-five Zoids here with us. How many do you have on your side?" Eleanor asks the mercenary.

" _Aside from my Zoid, we have three Shadow Foxes, six Command Wolves and ten Buster Tortoises. Imperial army still has more but, we can manage. We'll need to take out most of them during the ambush though."_

"Hmmm…" Eleanor tries to think of a battle plan. "Mount Cybele is usually engulfed in mist. We'll need to use that to our advantage." She glances back at Alta. "Lend us five of your Buster Tortoises."

" _For what?"_

"We'll attack first with a long-range barrage using these Zoids and our Supercannons. Try to flush them out of their fortress. Once they're out, Black Hound and our aerial forces will ambush them using the mist as cover. Once they've been scattered, the ground forces will move in. Alta, you head inside and try to get our Liger Zero out, can you do that?"

" _I can try."_

"Thank you." Naruse expresses her gratitude to the mercenary.

"In the meantime, I'll infiltrate the base and take Naruse along with me. Maybe I can destroy the remaining enemy Zoids before their pilots can get to them." Itsuki spoke up.

"It will dangerous but it's worth the shot. Ready the rest of Black Hound. We're coming in soon." Eleanor finishes discussing things with Alta and turns to the rest of her crew. "Once our repairs are complete, we're heading off to Mount Cybele at full speed. From there, we give them hell."

* * *

Alyx turned and tossed around in her prison cell. Although the place was rather dark and quiet, she found it difficult to sleep. She thought about how she could escape the fortress but, even if she can get out of her cell, she would've to face over sixty Zoids stored in the hangar. Unless there was some kind of miracle, getting out of there was impossible. She was about to give up when she remembered the Retaliation Force's plan to assault the fortress at Mount Cybele.

" _Maybe I can get out of here after all…"_

 _Creak!_

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the faint sound of the door opening and some small amount of light that suddenly flooded the room. Shrugging off her earlier thoughts, she turned around to face the wall, pretending to be asleep. She didn't expect to be interrogated this early.

 _Clink!_

The faint sound of a small chain startled her, causing her to open her eyes. Right above her, she saw a small doll, in the shape of two ducks sharing an umbrella, dangling by the chain off of someone's hand. That person's hand was rather soft-looking despite the obvious scars and abrasions obtained from piloting. Slowly, she sat up to face the person visiting her.

"Here. I made it for you." Even if she didn't look at that person's face, Alyx could already recognize that person's voice. "You can have it."

Alyx turned to face her long-lost friend. Try as she could to hide it, Alyx was sure that Sakura can see the disappointment in her face. Nevertheless, she took the small offer in her hand to check it out. For something made by hand, it was rather well-made. As expected of Sakura.

"You haven't been eating." Sakura gestures to the food on the tray, which Alyx didn't bother to eat. "You're gonna get sick if you don't."

"Trying to play big sister now are we? What is this routine? Good cop, bad cop? Save it Sakura." Alyx brushed her sentiments off with a wave as she walks over to the small sink in her cell.

"I…just wanted to see you." Sakura replied rather meekly. "It's been seven years."

"Yeah. Seven years since you took off and left us there to rot at Kalanes. You even promised you'll come back and bail us all out. I was even looking forward to it. Shouldn't have been too hopeful though, seeing that you just burned the place down!" Alyx couldn't contain the anger she felt at seeing Sakura working for the Viscount.

"I—That wasn't my decision to make. It's not my fault if some nice couple adopted me and took me in with them. You shouldn't blame that on me. It's not fair." Sakura tries to defend her case.

"But I bet it was your decision to enter the army is it not?"

"What?"

"You heard me." Alyx sat back in the bed. "I thought you didn't want to have anything to do with this war!"

"I didn't. Believe me when I say I don't. But—" Sakura takes a deep breath before carrying on. "My foster parents…they were Guylos citizens. They took me home and took good care of me. For a while, it was perfect. A year later, the Republic invaded the continent. They showered the town with long range barrages. I couldn't even remember everything. Last thing I remember was waking up in a hospital and being told that my foster parents were dead. And I was alone."

"So you entered the army so you can take revenge on the Republic for your parent's death. Yeah, some kind of good person you are."

"No!" Sakura's emotion suddenly flared up upon hearing Alyx's remark. "It's not revenge, It's—look. I was all alone, with nothing on me. What else could I do to survive?"

"I don't know…maybe, go back to Kalanes? Didn't you even consider that?!"

"I did. But how could I? I didn't have anything on me. How do you expect me to get back after all that?"

"Then you should've tried harder. But instead of doing that, you took the easy way out. Like you always do." Alyx continued to criticize her friend's actions.

"I'm not like you Alyx, you know that. I'm not…strong enough." Sakura tried to explain but Alyx just kept her silence and leaned back on the wall. "Hey Alyx? How about you join our side?"

"Ha! And why should I do that?" Alyx asked with obvious sarcasm.

"You're not a Republican. You don't have any reasons to stay with them." Sakura leans a little closer, her hands gripping the cold iron bars separating them. "The Viscount seems to be fond of me. I—I may be able to convince him to let you in our ranks. At least…you won't have to die."

"No."

"Why?"

"You're asking me why?" Alyx was even more furious now. "Because you're all a bunch of murderers that's why!"

"And the Republicans aren't? They've killed just as many people as the Empire did!" Sakura tries to defend her case but Alyx was still not having it.

"Well, the Republicans did not take a freaking Death Saurer and blew it up in the middle of a populated city!" Alyx referred to the incident at Valhalla.

"And what about the Destroyer?! What about the ones who died during the landing on the Dark Continent?!" Sakura tries to argue back, recalling the incident which claimed the lives of her foster parents when the Republic invaded the Dark Continent.

"Well, what about Kalanes?! What about those faces who were there for me in the long span of time that you were gone? Faces who we grew up with? Faces who are now dead because of you!"

"I—I didn't want it to turn out the way it did…I—I'm sorry…" Her earlier outburst gone, Sakura tried to apologize, holding back her own tears as she does.

"But it did! And no stupid apology of yours is going to change that! Hell, you shouldn't be apologizing to me! You should be apologizing to the dead and the families they left behind!" Alyx was still very mad at Sakura, her grip on the doll tightening with every second she spends talking to her. "And what makes you think I don't have any reason for siding with them? You think you're the only one who can take up arms and fight for a cause? Oh…you've grown much too arrogant indeed!"

"Reason? What reason could you possibly have for siding with those rebels?"

"I've made a friend. A friend who's doing her best to try and stop this war and to stop the Viscount from making everything more chaotic than it already is!" Alyx explains as if she was boasting, making Sakura feel small compared to her.

"So you're willing to fight for this friend who you just met a few days ago but you don't want to do the same for me? A girl you've basically known your entire life-?"

"Really? Seeing you the way you are now, I'm starting to doubt if I even knew you at all!" Alyx interrupts Sakura.

"Alyx…I just don't want you to die…"

"Forget it! If ever I get out of here, I'll shoot you down myself!" Alyx let out one last burst of anger. She glanced at the doll in her hands and using all her strength, hurled it across the wall, dropping to the floor with a soft clatter. "You can have your stupid doll back! I don't want it!"

Sakura could only watch Alyx slump back down to bed, still fuming with rage. With a heavy heart, she walked over to the spot where her doll fell and picked it up. "Goodbye Alyx…It was nice to see you again—and…it was nice knowing you…" She bade her friend a last goodbye before leaving the room and shutting the door.

"Yeah well, I wish hadn't met you…" Alyx muttered to herself as she forced herself to sleep. More than hatred, she felt mad. Mad at this twisted turn of events. Mad at fate itself for allowing them to see each other again under these circumstances.

* * *

Unknown to the two girls though, the Viscount had been listening in to their entire conversation. All the angst and drama aside, it was Alyx's mention of a friend trying to stop him from realizing his plans which he took interest in the most. At the very least, it did confirm one thing.

"So Iris Daemon is on board the Hammer Kaiser after all. Thank you Sakura. I knew I could count on you." The Viscount smiled to himself as he turned off the microphone in the cell. From behind him, the door swung open and Gregory Ash walked into the room.

"You called?" He asked the masked man who was still engulfed in his own personal thoughts.

"We need to get out of here. You and your soldiers take the Dragoon Nest. Get the core out of here and head down west near Chimera." The Viscount relays the instructions to Ash. "Is my Berserk Fuhrer ready?"

"Yes but—I don't understand. Why are we abandoning Mount Cybele?" Ash asks about the odd order.

"I've just confirmed that Iris Daemon is on the Hammer Kaiser. This is a long shot but I'm willing to bet the Retaliation Force is preparing to assault this fortress as we speak."

"Then we have to evacuate everyone!"

"No. The Republicans will find it suspicious if we evacuate a large-scale force. I'm willing to bet that they've already got eyes all over this place. Our best chance is to evacuate only the necessities. They cannot get their hands on the Zoid Core."

"Y-you're…abandoning your men?"

"No." The Viscount takes out the Zoid gear used for activating the Dragoon Nest. "You are Captain." He answered back with a smile. "Me and my Knights will stay behind and buy you time to escape. Once we've determined that you're in a safe distance, we'll pull back with whatever is left of our forces and meet up with your force." The Viscount glanced at the bustling fortress. "Bases and Zoids can be rebuilt. What's important is that our plan becomes a reality."

"Understood sir!" Ash saluted the Viscount before turning to leave, satisfied albeit puzzled, with the actions his commander was taking.

"One more thing Captain—"The Viscount suddenly called out, prompting Ash to look back. "Do you mind leaving Sakura Nagisa here?"

"Indeed. The Geno Saurer would be useful in holding back the Republicans. Very well, I'll tell her."

"Haha! It is not only her value in battle that I've grown interested in Captain." The Viscount laughed, finding the confused look on Ash's face amusing.

"I'm not sure I follow what you're saying."

"I just want to see how the drama plays out. Plus, I am still a Knight at heart Captain. I want my own princess to protect and shelter from the dangers of this world." The Viscount chuckled before leaving Ash to go down to his Zoid.

"Someone to protect huh?" Ash muttered to himself as he headed to the communications module. He entered a code he once used during the Western Continent War and waited for the person on the other end of the line to respond.

" _It's been a while since you called…"_ A woman's voice spoke from the other end.

"Zhou, I don't have much time so I'll just go straight to the point: I need you to come here to Mount Cybele as soon as possible." Ash sounded urgent.

" _Sure. It'll take me around a day I think but, I'll get there."_

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

" _Just like old times Ash, expect this favor to cost you."_

* * *

 **Writer's Note:** Chapter 7 complete! Another battle looms ahead.

Battle Story references are made here. The Death Saurer reference was Valhalla, where Gunther Proitzen detonated the Bloody Death Saurer, taking the bulk of the Helic and Guylos armies with him. Some sources state that Emperor Rudolph (yes, that kid from Chaotic Century) died here as well.

The Destroyer refers to Ultrasaurus the Destroyer and the Destroyer Corps. If you search the net, you'll see this really souped-up Ultrasaurus with lots of massive cannons. That's what it is.

Europa, the Western Continent was mentioned in passing as well.

Chimera is Chimera City, where a certain powerful Zoid made its debut in the Fanbook EX stories.

Well, that's all for now. I think I can manage a few more chapters before my classes resume. Until then, see you on the next chapter!


	9. Chapter 8 - Delivering the Goods

_(Disclaimer: I do not own the Zoids franchise. Copyright goes to Tomy for making this fantastic series. All I own are this story, its characters and some concept Zoids that might appear.)_

 **Zoids: Lost Eden**

 **Chapter 8: Delivering the Goods**

* * *

Roughly five miles away from the base of Mount Cybele, the Retaliation Force stood, preparing their assault against the hidden Guylos base. In the sky, the Alexander soared, its Supercannons preparing to take aim at the misty mountain. Below it, five Buster Tortoises, as agreed upon with Black Hound, readied their Large Bore Beam Cannons. Pilots scrambled towards their Zoids inside, in preparation for their cue to launch.

"Lieutenant!" The Alexander's operator caught up to Itsuki, just as he was making his way towards his new Zoid. "Ms. Eleanor wants you to head over to the Helic Preservation Bureau after the mission."

"This is new. What does she want me to do there?" Itsuki asked, a little puzzled over the last minute revision to his plan.

"Well, I'm not too familiar with the details but, it seems like she wants to place some new recruits under your charge."

"Trainees? We hardly have the time to teach them you know?"

"Well…it's a direct order from Ms. Eleanor so—"

"Alright. I'll go over there after we've successfully occupied the base." Seeing that there was no way he can debate Eleanor over this decision, Itsuki agreed and their operator made her way back to the bridge. Naruse overheard the entire exchange and went on over to Itsuki's side.

"I think you'll make a fine teacher, Lieutenant." She complimented Itsuki's piloting skill. "I'm sure those new recruits won't give you any trouble."

"I hope. But, I suppose I can see another reason why I have to go there." Itsuki answered back as he sat down on the cockpit of his new Zoid, booting up the various control panels as the younger girl took the seat behind him.

"What do you mean?"

"Seeing that the Viscount now knows that you weren't piloting the Liger Zero, he may launch another attack on the Alexander. In that case, splitting up would be our best option."

"I see."

" _All units, prepare to deploy at once! I repeat, all units, prepare to deploy at once!"_ The operator called over the intercom, informing them that their attack is about to commence.

"Let's go!" Itsuki motioned for Naruse to get in the cockpit of the Blade Liger, taking up the back seat while Itsuki piloted the Zoid from the front. "We'll charge inside the base once Black Hound and the aerial troops flush out their Zoids. From there, you do what you have to do."

"Understood!"

One by one, the Retaliation Force's Zoids activated, heading down the Alexander's ramp in formation. The Blade Liger leaped to the elevator, taking it up to the launch catapult. It was time to begin.

 _Three…_

The Gunblusters descended, all pumped up to unleash hell on the enemy Zoids.

 _Two…_

Pteras and Raynos took off from the rear hangar dedicated for aerial forces, soaring off into the misty skies ahead.

 _One…_

The Blade Liger bent down, electricity from the catapult surging to its legs as it waited for its signal to deploy.

 _Zero…_

"Fire!" Upon Eleanor's command, the Alexander and the Buster Tortoises opened fire, raining bullet upon bullet on the massive fortification ahead, causing rumblings as loud as thunder. With a great roar, the Blade Liger launched, its massive legs propelling it into the forests ahead as the ground troops made their way towards the foot of the mountain.

* * *

Inside the base, the Guylos forces were in disarray. Only half of the available pilots were prepared to head out in their Zoids while the rest scrambled to find the enemy force. The pilots who were ready went out one by one in faster scouting units like Rev Raptors and Heldigunners while heavier Zoids like Red Horns followed behind, only to be met with gunfire from both flanks as Black Hound's Command Wolf ACs shot at them with their cannons, disabling and destroying most of the lighter troops. The base immediately sent out aerial reinforcements like Storches and Redlers only to engage the Raynos and Pteras that waited in the skies.

"How many enemies are we dealing with here?!" Alexei tries to take command of the situation as he made his way towards his Zoid, calling out to the other soldiers around him.

"Still waiting for intel sir. The mist makes it hard for us to see properly." A soldier reported back as he finished releasing a Rev Raptor from its platform.

"Send out the Gators! Have them pinpoint the enemy's location!" Alexei ordered the soldier who immediately relayed the instruction to the others. A sudden call on his radio caught his attention though and he immediately picked it up. "Alexei here."

"Yo! I managed to map out the enemy's formation from here!" Arlene reported from inside the command center. She had her computer linked to the various cameras around the base as well as the sensors of the Gators outside. "They're not attacking with a large force but they're primarily gathered around the main entrance—gah!" Arlene yelled out a little as an explosion suddenly echoed from her headset. "You'll need to head out there fast! We're losing Gators!"

"Got it! What about the Viscount and the other Knights?!"

"He left via the service tunnel with Caitlyn but my sensors show that they're heading out back. I guess they want to attack the enemy on the left side. Reynard and Gideon are accompanying the Dragoon Nest. They already left ten minutes ago."

"Okay! Then we'll head out and draw the enemy's attention to us while the Viscount makes his way around. You get out of there now!"

"Gotcha!" Just as Arlene was about to log off though, a bullet suddenly pierced through her laptop, causing her to roll and duck behind the chairs. A small peek revealed a blonde-haired woman aiming a pistol at her hiding spot. From her attire though, she didn't look like a Republican soldier. " _Mercenary huh—?"_ Arlene thought as she threw a smoke grenade, covering her hasty escape. The other woman immediately left lest the smoke irritates her eyes.

"Alta here! Command center's taken care off, heading over to priority item no.4!" The woman called back to her teammates as she ran towards the corridor marked "Detention Cell".

* * *

Outside, situation was still a little chaotic. Most of the Guylos small arms were routed and lay scattered on the floor. The aerial Zoids also fell to the combined efforts of the Raynos and the Shadow Foxes, whose flexible Vulcans allowed them to accurately shoot down the flying Zoids from the ground. Armored troops like Red Horns still stood defiantly against the nimbler Arosaurers but they were all pinned down and outnumbered three-to-one.

Alexei's Imperial Liger Zero rushed out of the base, leading a high-speed force consisting of Sabre Tigers. They intended to strike directly at the Alexander and its escort Zoids.

"All forces! Our objective is the Hammer Kaiser. Refrain from fighting any other Zoid until—ack!" Before he can even finish relaying his instructions, multiple shots fired at them from outside the forest's cover. The Gunblusters were in position, pinning down any escaping Guylos Zoid. With Black Hound on the left and the Helic Forces on the right, they were hopelessly caged in.

"Return fire! Take out those bastards!" Alexei commanded his allied Zoids to attack even if the Sabre Tigers lacked the strength needed to punch through the Gunbluster's tough defenses. A sudden movement on his radar caught his eye though, and he turned his Liger Zero around to see a white Blade Liger making its way towards the base's entrance.

"You're not getting inside!" Alexei yelled out as he left the Sabre Tigers in order to follow the intruder, leaving them in the mercy of the heavily armed Ankylosaurs.

Meanwhile, Black Hound continued their assault on the enemy Zoids, taking shots at them while concealed in the mist. The back of their formation was guarded by a Shadow Fox and a Command Wolf AC, who kept a sharp eye out for any ambushes. Just as they felt sure that no Zoid would attempt to escape through their path, the Berserk Fuhrer jumped out from the forest, immediately tearing through the Shadow Fox's gun and armor with its Buster Claw. The Viscount didn't kill the pilot though, retracting his weapon just before he reached the Zoid's cockpit. The Command Wolf tried to take aim and fire but was immediately incapacitated by Caitlyn's Zero X with a Strike Laser Claw to the Zoid's neck.

"This route is clear. Should we head on over and take command of the remaining forces?" Caitlyn asked as she surveyed the surrounding area, keeping a watchful eye for any enemy.

"No. Look around you Caitlyn—" The Viscount's Zoid stared off into the battlefield ahead. "The base is lost. We cannot expect to win against the Alexander and its escorts right now. Given that the Dragoon Nest has escaped safely with the precious cargo, I believe it's also time for us to pull back."

"Roger."

"Have the remaining forces retreat through this passage. With any luck, we'll catch up to the Dragoon Nest. From there, we head on to Chimera City." The Viscount gave the order to his escort, his Zoid escaping through the cover of the undergrowth while Caitlyn stayed behind for a little while to relay the command to the remaining pilots.

* * *

" _Has Captain Eleanor's attack started already?"_ Alyx wondered inside her cell, having been awoken by the violent explosions she heard outside. Immediately, she got up and ready. Her opportunity for escape might just show itself soon.

"Waiting for your friends to bail you out? Sorry, but it's not happening girl!" Hearing a voice behind her, Alyx turned around to see an Imperial soldier with his gun aimed at her. Seeing the weapon aimed at her, Alyx flinched and closed her eyes, waiting for the sound of gunfire and for her vision to turn dark. Instead, what she heard was the door violently swinging open and the sound of steel parting flesh, gurgling noises following after.

"Don't worry, you're safe now." A woman's voice called out to her as she opened her eyes to the sight of the Imperial soldier lying on the ground and a tall, blonde girl opening her cell. "I'm Alta Crowler, a mercenary from Black Hound and Itsuki's—well, friend."

"Am I glad to see you—!" Before Alyx could step out to thank her savior, Alta shoved a copy of the base's layout in Alyx's hand.

"We don't have much time. Follow the path down to Hangar 3. Your Zoid is waiting for you there. Get in it and get back to the Alexander as soon as possible!" Alta quickly gave Alyx her instructions and ran out of the door, headed to who-knows-where.

"For a moment, I thought this would be a rescue-Princess-Alyx scenario." Alyx mumbled to herself as she also ran out, following the path shown on the floor plan. "Guess they found a role for me to play even when I'm in prison."

Thanks to the map, she didn't have much difficulty finding the hangar. On the corner, secured by several platform arms was the Liger Zero Jäger, still deactivated. As expected, the damages from its previous battle weren't fixed yet.

"Hello~ Miss me?" Alyx greeted the Zoid as she fumbled around the seat where she hid the replacement fuse. After only a minute of putting things back in order, the Liger Zero woke up, letting out a soft growl to notify its pilot.

"Alright Zero, I know you just woke up but we need to get to work!" Alyx made small talk to her Zoid as she finished strapping on her seat belt. The Liger Zero roared, voicing its dissatisfaction with the sudden wake-up call.

* * *

"Brace yourself!" Itsuki yelled at Naruse as his Blade Liger crashed straight through the mountain base's gate with his E-shield deployed. There he started to shoot at the cockpits of the Zoids that haven't deployed yet, preventing the other soldiers from reinforcing their allies outside. The other soldiers didn't have to wait long though. From what Caitlyn told them, the Viscount had already given the order to pull back. With no more enemies on the ground, the Liger deactivated its shield and lowered its head, allowing Naruse to alight safely.

"Thanks Lieutenant! Hold them off for a few minutes! Hacking this shouldn't take too long." Naruse immediately ran over to the nearest computer while Itsuki's Blade Liger backed up in order to place itself between any possible enemy and the girl below. Not even a minute has passed when Alexei's Liger Zero suddenly entered the base.

"You're not surviving this, you traitor!" Alexei's Liger Zero roared as it fired its Shock Cannons with the full intent on killing Naruse.

"No way!" Before the shots could land, the Blade Liger deployed its E-shield again, protecting the young girl behind it. "Naruse, just take everything with you! We'll sort it out when we get to the Bureau!" Itsuki yelled at the young girl.

"Got it!" Hearing that, Naruse immediately got to work. As ordered, she didn't bother sorting out the files. She just copied all of them to their database while Itsuki's Liger kept up its E-shield, preventing Alexei and other Imperial troops from doing her in.

"Concentrate your fire on that Liger! That shield shouldn't last too long!" Alexei yelled out at three Sinkers that arrived to reinforce his ranged assault. The Blade Liger's shield was strong but any more and it will soon start to break.

"I'm finished!" Naruse called out to Itsuki, waving the portable device she used to get the files.

"Good! Get to a communications panel and call somebody out there to pick you up! I'm a little tied down at the moment—!" Itsuki instructs her as he tried to maintain the strength of his shield under the heavy assault.

"You're not going anywhere!" Alexei screamed as his Zero's tail laser shot the command center overhead, barricading Naruse with debris.

"Shit!" Naruse cursed as she dived towards the underside of the Blade Liger in order to avoid the falling rocks and parts.

"Naruse!" For a moment, Itsuki thought of what to do. Unable to attack, the Blade Liger was just a sitting target for the enemy Zoids right now.

"Hey, hothead! How about this!"

Suddenly, flashes of light shone from one of the corridors as a stream of bullets took out the Sinkers around Alexei's Zero and Itsuki's Blade Liger. From the corridor, the Zero Jäger sprung out, crashing into its Imperial cousin head on.

"Quick!" Itsuki immediately lowered the shield and his Liger's head again, so Naruse could board while Alexei was preoccupied with Alyx's reckless attacks.

"Think you can take him? He is one of the Viscount's best Knights!" Naruse asks Itsuki as she strapped her seat belt on.

"Of course! We've got him outnumbered…Alyx, move away!" Itsuki shouted at Alyx' Zero who immediately leapt away from Alexei while the red Liger Zero struggled to get back on its feet. As soon as it rose though, Itsuki immediately shot it with the Blade Liger's Attack Boosters, crippling the Ion Boosters on its back.

"Shit—!" Alexei cursed as his Zoid suddenly staggered from the damage. Without even giving him a chance to recover, Alyx's Zero dived in with a Strike Laser Claw followed by a Laser Blade from Itsuki's Blade Liger. The combined attack proved too much for his Zoid and it fell to the ground helpless as it watched the two Ligers run out of the base.

Outside, the two girls rejoiced at their short reunion. "Alyx, you're okay! I was so worried…" Naruse couldn't contain the joy in her voice upon seeing Alyx again.

"Heh! These guys won't be doing me in anytime soon!" Alyx could only laugh as she finally escaped from that mountain base.

" _Come in Saber 2! What's the status of your mission?"_ Their reunion was cut short as the Alexander's operator called on Itsuki's Blade Liger.

"Data retrieval successful. We've rendezvoused with Priority Item no.3 and 4 as well. Now disengaging to head to Point A-3 as per the plan." It was Itsuki who replied to the inquiry.

" _Very well. Captain Eleanor wishes you luck!"_

"Roger!" With that, Itsuki cut off communications, much to Alyx's confusion.

"W-what—?! What's going on Naruse?" She asked as her Zoid leaned closer on the Blade Liger's head.

"We're heading somewhere to decode the information Naruse retrieved from the base." Itsuki explained. "Plus, it would be safer for Naruse if she was to separate from the Alexander for a while, now that the Viscount knows she's not on the Liger Zero."

"Well, what's priority item 3 and 4?"

"Your Zoid and yourself." It was Naruse's turn to answer.

"Eeehh?! I wasn't your primary objective?" Alyx pouted upon hearing it.

"No, you were just a bonus!" Even Itsuki went along with the joke. Sudden shots from behind caught their attention and the two Ligers immediately took up a defensive stance. A Heldigunner and a Rev Raptor leapt from their flanks, which they immediately intercepted. "Anyway, we need to leave now. You head back to the Alexander. Guard it well while I'm gone kid."

"Roger. And take care of Naruse Lieutenant! I'll have your word as a man!" Alyx answered back.

"You got it!" With a last farewell, the two Ligers split off, with Itsuki running off to the Helic Preservation Bureau and Alyx heading off to provide support to the Helic forces. Most of their enemies had either fallen or retreated. Even the Sabre Tiger unit fell to the Helic Gunblusters that confronted it.

* * *

Back in the base, Alexei angrily alighted from his Zoid, kicking the canopy as he did. "Useless pile of scrap! I'll get them back for this!" He cursed as he turned his gaze to the terrain outside. Suddenly, he heard a rumble from behind him as a large Zoid walked over to him.

"You alright?" A familiar voice spoke through the Zoid's loudspeaker, forcing him to look back in anger as he recognized who it was. It was the blue Geno Saurer.

"Sakura Nagisa! Where have you been this entire time?!" Alexei immediately went to reprimand the girl inside, paying no heed to the fact that he didn't have any means of opposing her Geno Saurer right now.

"I just finished off most of the black Command Wolves though there may be more out there. The Viscount had already given the order to pull back it seems." Sakura reported her contribution. "They seem to have more forces stationed around here. I've already finished off around eight Zoids and yet they keep coming." Sakura deliberately mentioned the number of Zoids she's downed as a means of gloating over the superior Knight.

"Just eight—?! What, you think you can impress the Viscount with that number?!" Alexei was clearly insulted by Sakura's little boasting.

"It's more impressive than not being able to shoot down anything at all…" Sakura continued to toy with the Knight as payback for the earlier incident. A Sinker soon arrived, looking for survivors. "Perfect timing! Lord Alexei needs a ride out of here since his Zoid was defeated. Can you take care of him?" Sakura called out to the Sinker pilot.

"Of course, ma'am." The pilot moved his Sinker closer so the Knight can get on, which he did though he was clearly enraged and embarrassed at the same time. "What about you, ma'am?"

"Don't call her ma'am, she's not your superior!" Alexei protested yet his opinion was ignored by both of them.

"I'll try to buy you time while you rally the remaining forces out of here. Once everyone's safe, then I'll pull back."

"Got it. In that case, good luck ma'am." The Sinker pilot wished Sakura luck before he sped off, carrying the Knight with the bruised ego with him.

"Plus, I have some loose ends to tie up…" Sakura sighed once the others were out of earshot before her Zoid sped away, heading off into the thick undergrowth near the eastern mountain side.

* * *

"Hmm…the enemy seems to have retreated around this side…" Alyx observed as her Zoid surveyed the area. Somehow, she found the lack of enemies disturbing. Before she can head back to call it a night, an intense signature appeared on her radar; a signature she's already encountered before. "Oh no…" Alyx panicked as she maneuvered her Zoid away in time to dodge a claw headed her way.

"That Liger seems to have grown fond of you." From the dark forest, the blue Geno Saurer emerged, its red eyes looking more eerie in the darkness of the terrain. Alyx immediately recognized the voice to be that of her friend.

"So…it was you who was piloting that Zoid all along." Alyx greeted Sakura, her Liger Zero taking a few steps backward in face of the menacing Tyrannosaur. The Guylos Zoid immediately charged in and knocked the Zero over, pinning it down with its sharp talons.

"Surrender now Alyx. There's no reason for you to die out here." Sakura spoke in a calm and cool voice, her earlier emotional outbursts gone.

"And what makes you think I'll just take things lying down?!" Alyx tried to struggle but the Geno Saurer kept her Zoid from moving by applying more pressure to its components.

"If you surrender to me, I promise you won't be treated badly. Just…come with me Alyx. We don't need to fight against each other here." Sakura offers her friend, calming her voice down a little more so Alyx wouldn't be too intimidated.

"Sakura…why don't you come with me instead?" Alyx asked, dropping her earlier angry expression. "The Viscount's just using you. He plans to overthrow both Neo-Zenebas and the Republic so the Guylos Empire can rule the Continent again—!"

"I know."

"What?"

"It's why we're following him. All of us." Sakura's reply surprised Alyx. "When Neo-Zenebas rose to power, Guylos soldiers were hunted down, killed, driven out of our own motherland. We tried to fight back but after so long, we started to lose hope. In that desperate time, the Viscount offered us sanctuary. He gave us a place, even if it meant serving our own usurpers. But above all, he gave us a promise."

"Promise?"

"He promised us our home back. Not immediately but, thanks to him, we were able to take the first steps for that dream to come true." Sakura sighed as if she was tired.

"And in turn, you need to conquer my home in order to retake yours? Very noble, alright." Immediately, Alyx fired up the Ion Boosters, forcing the Geno Saurer off of her Zoid, allowing the Liger Zero to stand back up. "You lost Nyx so now you're trying to take Delpoi?! This land doesn't belong to you! It belongs to the Republic!"

"Well what about the Republic's invasion of the Dark Continent?!" Sakura charged Alyx in anger over her friend's words. She grabbed the Liger Zero's leg and with a great swing, threw it across the forest floor. "You said you're helping someone stop all this conflict—but you're only looking at things from the Republic's point of view!"

Hearing that, Alyx suddenly found herself unable to respond. In a way, Sakura was right. She's only been looking at things from the eyes of the people around her. She didn't try to understand how the other side feels at all. "So you don't mind if the world goes to hell just as long as you have a home to go back to?"

"When you say plunge the world into hell, do you really believe it or are you just parroting what somebody else told you?" Another attack. Alyx's Zero struggled against the devastating blows of Sakura's Zoid.

"Don't you see? What you're doing is just revenge! Attacking both sides once they're weak enough…that makes you no different than the Eisen Dragoons!" Alyx tried to reason back.

"And how does Helic intend to solve this conflict? With more gunfire and missiles? Do they even intend to end the fighting at all? Or are they like us? Just a bunch of exhausted exiles trying to get their home back." Sakura's Zoid towered over the downed Liger Zero. "You can judge me however you want. I won't expect you to understand!"

"What?! You think I don't understand?!" Alyx's Zoid suddenly leapt up, its fangs aiming for the Geno Saurer's throat. But the more seasoned pilot simply pulled back just enough to dodge the blow and retaliate with a swipe of its Killer Claws. The Geno Saurer's claws dug deep into the Zero's neck armor, causing it to stagger back.

"How could you understand?! You've never fought for your country before!" The Geno Saurer's claws propelled forward, grabbing the Liger Zero by the leg and tossing it to some nearby foliage.

"You've never witnessed dozens of terrifying Zoids stampeding across the very streets outside your house, shooting at anything that moves!" Another round of swings. The Zero roared out in painful defiance as it was thrown like a rag doll.

"You've never experienced looking for your foster parents among dozens of dead bodies scattered in the streets while gunfire rained heavily around you!" A swipe of the tail. The protective armor around the Zero Jäger's head cracked as pieces of metal fell off.

"Sakura…" Alyx and her Zoid struggled hard to get back up. The constant shocks she felt while the Zero was being thrown about were making her dizzy. Despite her harsh words back at the cell and talks of her shooting her friend down, Alyx came face to face with reality. She barely survived fighting a damaged Geno Saurer, what more if she came face to face with one in its full combat capacity? But it wasn't just the specs alone. Sakura is able to fight because she was fighting for something. Something she believed in because she's lived it. She's seen the reality firsthand.

" _What am I fighting for…?"_ For the first time since she got caught up in the mess, Alyx started to doubt herself, doubted her convictions. Unlike her friend who was clinging on to the promise of their homeland, Alyx had nothing. " _What am I hanging on to?"_

Her promise to Naruse. Her promise to help her at all costs.

" _That's right! I promised her didn't I?"_ Somehow, Alyx felt that something as minor as that is a good enough reason to hold on to. Her Zoid seemed to have sensed her determination as well since it now started roaring bravely as it struggled to get up. "We promised to help her stop this didn't we Zero? And that's good enough of a reason!"

The Geno Saurer walked towards her, looking all the more menacing. It raised its claw to take another swing at Alyx's Zoid but this time, the Liger Zero responded and dodged out of the way fast.

"Thanks partner!" Alyx complimented her Zoid though she was still bothered by the difference in her and Sakura's fighting ability. Without Itsuki or Naruse to guide her, the best she could do was to keep dodging and wear it out. Any attempts to attack only gets her into more trouble and she wasn't sure how much more her Zoid can take.

" _You still alive?"_ Alta suddenly called her over the radio.

"Somehow…" Alyx immediately replied.

" _Lure the Geno Saurer over to the coordinates I'll send you. Move, now!"_ Left with no other choice, Alyx did as she was told and ran away, heading into the marked location on the map. Seeing this, the Geno Saurer immediately followed though the Jäger's speed kept it ahead of the Guylos Zoid.

The marked area appeared to be the site of an old battle, littered with Zoid parts all over the place. Alyx remembered the battlegrounds she stole from back at Kalanes. As expected, it looked rather eerie in the dark.

" _Lie low and try to take cover in the darkness. I'm heading over there now. We'll flank it and attack together."_ Alta instructed her and she did as she was told, keeping the Jäger behind what appears to be the remains of an old Elephander.

The Geno Saurer arrived moments later, its menacing red eyes glancing at every nook and cranny, looking for its quadrupedal opponent. Slowly, it made its way near the Elephander wreckage. Alyx can see it searching, darting its head from left and right.

"Alyx…I don't want to kill you. So please, just surrender…" Sakura called out one last time, as the blue Geno Saurer came within the Liger Zero's line of sight.

"Sakura…"

" _Your Vulcans! Potshots are fine, just fire!"_ The command immediately came from Alta and Alyx followed, her Zoid's muzzles flashing brightly against the darkness, pelting the sides of the Geno Saurer with tiny pricks of gunfire. It wasn't enough to graze its armor but it was able to get its attention as the Geno Saurer's head looked away to face the Liger.

Suddenly, a barrage of larger-caliber gunfire rained from behind the Geno Saurer, damaging various parts of its armor and the large Pulse Laser Rifles on its back, causing it to stagger and stoop down low. From her position, Alyx could see that the shots came from a König Wolf, armed with the CP-22. Unlike the standard model though, this one was colored in a monotone, stonewashed dark gray with green eyes.

" _Now!"_ Alta yelled out as her Zoid immediately ran out of the way since the Geno Saurer was now turning to face her. Immediately, the claws on Alyx's Liger Zero flared up. It lunged forward at the downed Geno Saurer, its Strike Laser Claw cutting all the way through its spine, damaging the fragile core underneath. Its source of life damaged, the Geno Saurer gave at a pained roar as it collapsed on the ground like a marionette who's strings were suddenly cut off.

"A-Alyx…" Inside, the pilot sat in disbelief over the sudden turn of events as the panels and monitors around her died down, leaving her in total darkness. "Why…Why won't you just come along with me? I-I don't understand…" Visibly stung by her old friend's constant rejection, Sakura could only break down alone in the cockpit of her dying Zoid.

"Sakura…I'm sorry." Alyx muttered a short apology to her friend. "I didn't mean all those things I said back at the cell. And—I really wished we could've remained friends. But, we're just walking very different paths right now. It's not our fault though—things just happen like that, I suppose. Someday, you'll understand. And someday, I'll understand you as well."

So with a heavy heart, Alyx's turned away and ran, catching up to Alta's König Wolf, leaving her old friend alone in that lonely graveyard.

* * *

Thanks to its speed, Alyx's Zero Jäger caught up to the wolf Zoid that had gone ahead, piloted by the mercenary who saved her not once but twice in the same day.

"Ms. Alta, right? Thanks for bailing my ass. Again." Alyx muttered some short words of gratitude to the mercenary.

"Hey kid? Did you know that Geno Saurer's pilot?" Alta asked, having caught parts of their conversation.

"She's an old friend I've known since I was a kid." Alyx replied. "I don't really want to fight her, if I can avoid it."

"Good. Because that pilot would've reduced you to scrap if she wanted to." Alta's criticism was a little too frank for Alyx's taste. Nonetheless, she was right. "Just an observation."

"Yeah well, I still have a lot to learn. So what comes after this?"

"Hmm…well, I'm worried about Itsuki so I'm following his Blade Liger." Alta's Zoid paused for a while in order to scan the place with its headgear. Seeing no other enemy Zoids in sight, it turned to face Alyx's Liger Zero. "You should head back to the Alexander. Your Zoid will need some repairs. You'll probably have to help with the troops occupy the base."

"Okay. Again, thanks for saving me Ms. Alta! Good hunting!" Alyx bade the mercenary a fond farewell.

"You take care of yourself kid." With that, the König Wolf darted off into the night while Alyx's Liger Zero headed on back to the gargantuan Zoid that loomed just outside the forest.

* * *

 **Writer's Note:** Chapter 8 finished, and with it, another battle.

Special thanks to my sole reviewer, RougeBaron for continuing to follow this story!

Well, there isn't anything much to say so, see you guys in the next chapter!


	10. Chapter 9 - Repair and Rebuild

_(Disclaimer: I do not own the Zoids franchise. Copyright goes to Tomy for making this fantastic series. All I own are this story, its characters and some concept Zoids that might appear.)_

 **Zoids: Lost Eden**

 **Chapter 9: Repair and Rebuild**

* * *

" _And…there goes another one."_

Sakura sighed as she watched a helpless pebble tumble down what appears to be the wreck of an old Republican Zoid. She knew it was a Republican Zoid based on the fact that majority of its joints and mechanisms are unarmored, leaving it exposed to various elements. The one she was sitting on had what appeared to be wings of sorts.

Up ahead, the Republican forces were moving in to Mount Cybele. She had gone further up in order to get a glimpse of the invasion. Republican Zoids were running to and fro, scanning, disabling landmines, cleaning up wreckage, most of them coming from Guylos Zoids. She saw Alyx's Liger Zero at one point. It headed inside the hangar of Mount Cybele. Despite the careful and methodical cleanup, she didn't see any Imperial soldier get caught.

" _They must have escaped immediately after…Thank goodness!"_ Sakura sighed with relief. She had heard bad stories from soldiers who were captured by the Republic. Despite all the propaganda about how they were striving for the sake of all people, Republican soldiers tend to get nasty. Poor conditions, beatings, abuse. There were even talks of torture. No doubt the people of the Central Continent would immediately condemn these actions once it comes to light. Then again, they're probably aware of it but just don't care since it's not something that affects their lives.

She wondered how long it would take the enemy soldiers to find her. Even if she assumes Alyx kept her mouth shut, they're bound to stumble upon the area one way or another. Plus, there was the König Wolf pilot. If she's caught, would she be abused as well? Such were the questions that ran into Sakura's mind as she leapt down from the chassis she was sitting on and slowly made her way back to her Zoid.

The Geno Saurer was a mess. The damage to the core wasn't deep, but it sure was enough to cause the Zoid to shut down, lapsing into what appears to be a coma. Her Zoid was alive but in terms of functionality, it was just as capable as the empty husks of dead metal around them. Still, it made an eerie sight. Its red visor, the sharp claws and teeth, the wicked gun barrel in the mouth, a woman inspecting its remains—

" _Wait? A woman…?"_ Sakura's eyes suddenly locked on a stranger looking up at the cockpit of her fallen Zoid. She was dressed in a weird manner though Sakura was sure she recognized the white dress from somewhere. " _Ah! Those eggheads over at the Eastern Continent!"_ Sakura recalled. She wondered what an exotic woman like her is doing outside…and in a Zoid graveyard no less. She didn't look like she was lost either.

"Umm…Can I help you?" Sakura asked, causing the woman to look in her direction. She gave Sakura a good look over, checking the young pilot out from head to toe. Seemingly satisfied, the woman laughed.

"Ha! Well, aren't you a little cutie?" The woman chuckled to herself, possibly laughing at Sakura's young age. Before the girl could protest though, the woman turned back to face an approaching man wearing a very familiar uniform. "I gotta say, your taste in pilots do not disappoint at all, Ash."

"Remind me again why I was hesitant to call on you for aid." Gregory Ash sneered as he brushes the woman off as he walked towards Sakura. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes Captain." Sakura meekly replied, her eyes trailing to her Zoid's wreck. "The Geno Saurer's busted though."

"I see." Instead of reprimanding her, Ash just sighed as he turned to the woman. "Well Zhou? Think you can do something about it?"

"Of course I can do something about it! Who do you take me for Ash?" The woman smugly answers back, giving no regard to Gregory Ash's rank and position in the army.

"Huh? Captain, who is she?" Sakura asked, a little puzzled by their conversations.

"Hmm? Oh, this is Zhou Byakuiei. An old associate of mine." Ash introduced the two girls to each other. "Zhou, this is Warrant Officer Sakura Nagisa."

"I'm not just any old acquaintance of Ash you know?" Zhou continued. "I was part of the team that built this mean baby." Her tone seemed like she was boasting as she patted the side of the Geno Saurer's armor.

"Y-you built the Geno Saurer?" Sakura was surprised.

"Along with that Demon fellow, yeah. He came up with the concept, I made it possible. But, that's all ancient history. Right now, we need to get out of here." The woman Zhou walked on ahead, following Ash to what looked like an empty space in the desert. Before Sakura could ask though, Zhou snapped her fingers, and the empty space started to distort, hinting at a form of stealth shielding. In a matter of a few minutes, the shielding gave way to reveal a dark, navy blue Whale King docked on the desert floor.

"Well, Sakura Nagisa." Zhou turned to face Sakura. "Welcome to my little palace, the science vessel Hydrarchos."

* * *

The interior of the Hydrarchos was rather spacious, more spacious than other Whale Kings despite being the same size. Sakura observed that this is mostly has to do with the fact that the Hydrarchos didn't seem like it was meant to be used as a large scale transporter. Most of its space was filled with various weapon hangars and research platforms, befitting the moniker of science vessel.

"Ms. Zhou? I take it that this Whale King wasn't intended to be a transporter?" Sakura asked the woman as they walked around the huge Zoid's interior.

"It can carry a couple of Zoids but, yes. I didn't have this Whale King built for the purpose of providing a taxi service for Zoids." Zhou answered back.

" _Built? I suppose being a top-class scientist nets you these privileges…"_ Sakura could only sigh as she watched Zhou walk off to a nearby monitor. She wasn't too familiar with some of the research and equipment so she walked a little further inside, finally spotting the Zoids the Hydrarchos carried with it.

There was Ash's Dark Spiner, tucked in on the farthest side on the right. Opposite of it is a Red Horn and a Sabre Tiger. Both were rather familiar Zoids to her. And of course, there was another Geno Saurer, painted a bony white and gunmetal. Nothing new except—

" _Wait? A Red Horn and a Sabre Tiger?"_ Sakura suddenly realized, recognizing the two Zoids.

"Yay! You survived!" Seral suddenly jumped down from the Red Horn's open canopy, locking Sakura in a tight embrace.

"S-Seral…" Sakura patted her older friend on the back as she saw Vishna making her way towards them.

"Yo!" The silver-haired, complainer greeted.

"Hey Vishna. What are you doing here?" Sakura asked as Seral loosened her arms on the younger girl.

"Looking for you, duh!" Vishna answered back with some light teasing. "It was either that or stay in the Dragoon Nest with the Knights. Believe me; it didn't take us five minutes to decide which one we prefer."

"Actually, we were supposed to escort Zhou somewhere up North. Coming for you was just a bonus." Seral clarified.

"Well, thanks regardless." Sakura glanced back and saw her Geno Saurer being loaded on a repair platform. Regardless of the core being busted, it seems Zhou would attempt to repair it anyway. Given that she was one of the people who helped develop it, fixing it up was probably no big deal.

"Sakura." Ash suddenly barges in the three girl's conversation. "The Viscount wants to speak with you."

* * *

" _Impressive. Very impressive."_ From the screen, Sakura could see the Viscount smirking while seated in the Dragoon Nest's bridge. On his sides were two of his Knights, Alexei and Caitlyn, on the left and right respectively. " _I heard from our soldiers. You stayed behind so they can safely retreat. Thanks to you, more than half of our forces managed to survive."_

"J-Just doing my job sir!" Suffice to say, Sakura was flattered by their leader's words as she spoke with him inside the Hydrarchos' bridge. Her other allies were with her as well.

" _It's a shame about the Geno Saurer but, knowing Zhou, she'll be able to get it back up and running in no time. But anyway, seeing as your performance has been very impressive as of late…I'm promoting you to 2_ _nd_ _Lieutenant."_

"T-Thank you sir!" Sakura was grateful though she wasn't that ecstatic about it. She did feel happy that she was now at the same rank as her friends. She could see Alexei's eyes twitch in anger a little. She just sighed. It seems she just can't get on the man's good graces no matter what she does or how high she climbs in rank.

" _Continue to do your best for the glory of our Empire…Lieutenant. Now then—"_ Immediately after congratulating the girl, the Viscount turns to face Ash. " _You have received your new orders, correct?"_

"Yes sir. But, is this really okay? We still have to attend the summit at Chimera City."

" _I'll take care of that. In the meantime, you do what I asked you to do. Knowing Muroa, our next task would be much more difficult. The Republic's planning to return soon so I suppose I can understand why they would ask us to handle all other miscellaneous jobs. But I don't intend to head over there outgunned by our enemies."_ The Viscount explained to the aging Captain.

"I understand. This next job would be for our benefit as well."

" _Get ready to recall all other remnants soon. Regardless of what happens at Chimera, we would need their strength."_ And with that, the Viscount cut off, leaving Ash and the others to their own devices.

"Well, congratulations." Vishna shakes Sakura's hand. "Now we're all equal."

"We've always been equal." Seral pitched in, patting the two girl's head. "Isn't that right, Sakura?"

"Yeah…"

"Helmsman, take us out of this airspace. Plot the coordinates for the Northern glaciers towards the Central Mountain Range." Ash instructed the Whale King's pilot, who immediately complied with the order. In an instant, the Whale King rumbled slightly as it lifted off the ground, sending out a small sandstorm on a small radius around it.

" _Hello? Paging the pilot of this wrecked Zoid down to the maintenance bay please!"_ Zhou's voice called over the intercom. She was calling for Sakura.

"Your new friend's summoning you." Seral elbows Sakura in a teasing manner.

"You think you guys can accompany me downstairs?" Sakura asks her friends, looking a little unnerved from the possible earful she'll get from Zhou upon inspecting her Zoid.

"Nah. I'm gonna get some shut-eye." Vishna excused herself and left the room.

"And I'm going to the cantina. Had ordered fish there, don't want it to get cold." Seral also excused herself and left.

"Guys…!"

* * *

Upon heading downstairs, Sakura could already see her Zoid being patched up. Armor panels removed, pistons being cleaned of gunk. Its old guns were removed as well, reducing the monster to its bare form. Zhou was overseeing everything though from what Sakura can gather, almost all of the mechanics already know what they're doing. They moved as if they service Geno Saurers on a daily basis.

"Ah, there you are!" Zhou motioned for Sakura to come closer as she brought up some files on her monitor.

"Y-yeah. I can't believe how fast you work." Sakura compliments the woman as she steps forward. "How much longer until you can bring it back to normal operating efficiency."

"Within this day but—" Zhou turned to Sakura, taking her eyes off her research for a moment. "I've seen how you battle. I don't think the "normal" configuration is the best machine for your use."

"I'm sorry. I don't really follow?"

"Mind if I ask you something?"

"Not at all."

"How does the Geno Saurer rate as a fighting unit?" Zhou suddenly sprung her a question pertaining to her Zoid. "In your—how long did you say you had this Zoid again?"

"Two years."

"Right. In the two years you've piloted this Zoid, what impressions have you acquired from it? How did it feel wielding the compact form of the Death Saurer's power?"

"Well—" The question wasn't something Sakura expected. " _A little late for a product satisfaction survey…considering the design is eight years old now."_ She thought as she looked for the right words to say.

"It's a decent Zoid. Not as great as the Berserk Fuhrer or is it as eccentric as the Dark Spiner but, it has its uses. Eight long years and it can still put the bind on most Republican Zoids, barring the Blade Liger." Sakura faced her Zoid, which was currently still comatose. "This particular model was said to be a little quirky, according to the mechanics and technicians who used to work on it but so far, it has yet to go berserk on me or give me a hard time. It is a little more aggressive though, as far as I can tell from operating it. It hasn't let me down in a fight and, not to boast or anything, we've been able to hold off a Liger Zero, a Zoid with a much higher performance margin. Its weapons are adequate and I can always count on the Charged Particle Cannon in case things got too hot."

"That's what I've observed about your style, Warrant—no, I heard you're a Lieutenant now." Zhou suddenly cut her off.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, a little puzzled.

"I've worked on several Geno Saurers since the time we first used it in battle. Among all of them, yours is the only one I've seen with the cleanest Charged Particle Gun barrel." Zhou eyes her with a sly look on her face. "What's the matter? Are you holding back? Does the power scare you too much?"

"It's just that—I've never really plunged myself in a situation where I feel like I have to use it, Ms. Zhou."

"Really? That's not what the battle records from yesterday say."

"I'm sorry."

"Well—" Zhou grunted as she turned back to her research. "If you don't want to fire it then fine. I doubt your Zoid could withstand the stress of using it repeatedly anyway, considering it's an underpowered variant."

"I-I'm sorry?"

"I'm saying your Zoid's quirky performance has got something to do with the fact that it's an underpowered model." Zhou explains. "Do you know why this Zoid holds a higher performance rating than say, that Sabre Tiger and Red Horn? Aside from its arsenal."

"The Organoid System…" Sakura managed to reply.

"Huh, so you do know something after all."

Sakura felt a little stung from the way Zhou said the words. Sure she's no mechanic but, she's at least familiar with how her Zoid functions sometimes. " _Do all mechanics and scientists see us pilots as dumb, uneducated fighters with no understanding of their own partners?"_

"But yes, you're right. See, your Zoid here—" Nevertheless, Zhou continued with her explanation. "—its Organoid System's powered down. I'm willing to bet your higher-ups chose to field these babies in a hurry, skipping a whole bunch of necessary trials and tuning. The other Zoids of its batch are probably all underpowered rigs too. All this time, you're fighting with a limiter that you didn't know about. Hah! It's a miracle you even managed to get out of those situations alive."

"Okay. So, now what?"

Zhou sighed. Sakura felt it was because she doesn't immediately follow whatever Zhou was implying. "What I'm saying is I can complete your Zoid's Organoid System. Oh, and don't worry about the charge. Ash's already got you covered."

"Will it take long? I may need to head out soon."

"Powering up the Organoid System? Nah, it will only take a couple of days. However, I was also planning on upgrading it with the parts I have here. Prior to mass-production, me and Demon have been toying around with a variant model. Heard he managed to complete it and you know me, I want to see if I can finish it myself. All-in-all, it should take me around a week."

"A week?!"

"Hey, I'll need to build some parts from scratch you know? This isn't a CAS. These require time and precision work since the parts would be integrated all the way into the core."

"But, how am I supposed to fight then?" Sakura asked. She just got her promotion. Taking a one-week break isn't exactly the way she wanted to spend her first week as a Lieutenant. Besides, if they heard she was off the field for that long, they might just demote her again and she was sure those Knights won't think twice on chewing her out.

"You can use my Geno Saurer there. Its temperament is a little milder but, at least it's not an underpowered rig and a mess like yours right now." Zhou pointed at the white Geno Saurer sitting idly in the hangar. "Ah! But if it comes back like your underpowered rig here, maintenance cost is coming out of your paycheck. Got that?"

"Alright. I'll take good care of it Ms. Zhou." Sakura sighed. No way was she getting out of this one. Still, she did feel a little surge of excitement. Her own upgraded Geno Saurer. She couldn't wait to see how it performs in her hands.

" _Maybe then I can get the respect I deserve..."_

* * *

The day following the fall of the Viscount's base at Mount Cybele was a busy day for everyone in the Alexander. Cleaning up debris, repairing facilities, checking for any bombs or spying equipment—almost everyone's got their hands full. Since the Alexander still has its mission of hunting down the Viscount's forces, it was agreed that Black Hound would occupy the base for a while, until the main Republican forces could land again. Even Alyx helped out for a little while before turning all her attention on repairing her Zoid. Fortunately, Alexei's wrecked Liger Zero was still lying around in the hangar. She had brought it inside the Hammer Kaiser so she can salvage parts to use in repairing her own Zero.

"My Jäger unit…what has she done to you?" Kiminari sighed as he tucked away the damaged CAS to its storage case.

"That was a Geno Saurer man! It's not something you just fight without expecting any bruises!" Alyx yelled back from her cockpit. She was currently testing out some new components she was adding, running several checks and scans to ensure the Zero's handling remains the same.

"What did you do to this Zoid anyway?" Kiminari walked over to the Liger Zero, having finished stowing away the Jäger unit. From his position, he could see that Alyx had been messing with the shoulder armor. Having lost hers, she took the armor from the Liger Zero EM they salvaged and modified it with other Zoid parts she picked up. The right armor looked like a huge radar array of some sorts. The left side was loaded with what looks like a weapons binder.

"Well…seeing that the Jäger's gone, I decided to modify the base armor a little bit." Alyx explained, her eyes still fixed on the Zero's monitors. "I took the Gator's sensor array and the Gorhecks' Crystal Radar and fixed them together, increasing the strength of the Zero's sensors. This should allow me to withstand one blast from the Dark Spiner's Jamming Blade!"

"Just one?" Kiminari asked, obviously not impressed. "But wait! If you've loaded the fins, that'll be way too heavy to balance on just the shoulder alone!"

"Don't worry!" Alyx piped in cheerfully. "That's what the other rig is for. I compiled two small beam gatlings and some missile launchers in a weapons binder and attached it to balance the legs!" Alyx pointed to the left shoulder armor. "At least now we have a little more firepower, right Zero?"

"Balancing a heavy component with an equally heavy component… Huh! Cool then. Well what about its speed?" Kiminari asked with obvious sarcasm, earning him a sharp glare from the young rookie pilot.

"Okay, so what if Zero's max speed dropped from 307 to 295 km/h? That's still faster than a huge portion of the Zoids here!" Alyx answered back.

"Okay! I get it! You better be sure your antics don't bite us in the ass in battle! With Itsuki gone, your Zero's the only high-speed Zoid we have onboard." Kiminari just sighed as he walked away, scratching the back of his head with a wrench.

"Sheesh, what a worrywart!" Alyx muttered under her breath as she finishes up with the adjustments. "You don't mind the added weight, don't you partner?" She asked her Zoid.

 _Growl!_ The Liger Zero growled back angrily, shaking its legs a little as it tried to acquaint itself with the added weight.

"God! You too?! Man, everyone's a whiner these days!"

* * *

 **Writer's Note:** Chapter 9 is finished! Filler chapter for now as my classes have already resumed and I've been occupied with a lot of college stuff.

Here I present another of my own concept Zoids which is Alyx's Liger Zero. I wanted to toy around with a utilitarian Zero for Alyx without going overboard. It is a little hard to envision though since I do not have the resolve to sacrifice my models in an attempt to build it. This kind of repair seems to suit the Retaliation Unit well, given their lack of production facilities.

Sakura's about to receive her new Zoid as well. But until then, see you guys in the next chapter!


	11. Chapter 10 - Enter the Retaliation Force

_(Disclaimer: I do not own the Zoids franchise. Copyright goes to Tomy for making this fantastic series. All I own are this story, its characters and some concept Zoids that might appear.)_

 **Zoids: Lost Eden**

 **Chapter 10: Enter the Retaliation Force**

* * *

Alta managed to catch up to Itsuki and Naruse a few hours after she left Mount Cybele. Together, the two pilots made their way to the Helic Preservation Bureau, located somewhere near the vicinity of the Central Mountain Range; the place where the Gojulas Giga, the pride of the Helic military, made its glorious debut. The tall mountains made it a difficult terrain to traverse normally. Add to that the fact that winter's slowly closing in and the place is almost virtually impossible to find.

The Bureau's main headquarters was located in a town that also served as an outpost for the base hidden in the mountain. On the surface, it looks like a typical museum, showcasing armaments and Zoids used during the pre-cataclysm war. Officially, they also help with restorations and they've managed to establish connections with various organizations as a result. But what the Neo-Zenebas army didn't know was that the place was also a training ground for Republican soldiers as well as a small Zoids factory and machine shop.

The two Zoids were quickly ushered into an underground hangar. Luckily, most of the residents share strong anti-Imperial sentiments so there wasn't any need to worry about any of them getting the word out. There was the concern that some people may not take kindly with an Imperial noble being around town, especially someone from the Daemon family but so far, none of the people Itsuki met knew Naruse. The girl was too cautious to appear on TV or other forms of social media.

Ever since she's arrived, Naruse had taken to staying by herself in the Bureau's archives, trying to decode the files she's stolen from the base at Mount Cybele. It had been a difficult endeavor. The Viscount was too careful. Most of the bases she saw had already been vacated. Only a few remained operational, and these were located too close to Neo-Zenebas territory. There was no way the Retaliation Force could take those on with their limited strength.

"Well, so much for wanting to help…" Naruse sighed. In the end, she hadn't really helped much. Other than informing the Republic of the Viscount's plan, she felt like she was just some dead weight. Unlike Alyx who could pilot a Zoid to some degree, all she had to offer was her wits and her knowledge. _"Alyx…how are you doing now?"_

Outside, the sun had already set, signaling the end of another long day. Her eyes felt a little heavy after the tedious task. Just as she was about to pack up, she noticed an odd file. " _That's strange. I must've overlooked it…"_ Naruse thought as her attention turned to the file in question. Brushing aside her feelings of exhaustion, she immediately got back to work, hoping to decrypt the data come tomorrow.

" _I've got a hunch on what this might be. I hope my intuition's on mark."_

* * *

 _Knock, knock!_

The light rapping on the heavy-looking wooden door of his quarters woke the exhausted Lieutenant up. He hadn't gotten much rest since the mission at Kalanes City and with Eleanor's sudden orders to put trainees under his command; he figured that might be the last he'll probably get. Brushing aside the covers, Itsuki grudgingly got up, taking care not to wake up the sleeping Alta beside him. He quickly put on his pants before opening the door to take a little peek at his visitor. A bespectacled young woman greeted him from the other side of the door.

"Lieutenant Itsuki, I came to get you, sir." The woman spoke up, somehow feeling a little nervous, as far as Itsuki could tell from the way she tries to maintain her composure.

"I see." Itsuki muttered as he gave her a good look over. She looked a little young. Probably just a couple of years older than Alyx and Naruse. "You're from the Preservation Bureau?"

"Yes sir!" The young woman replied, saluting as she did. "My name is Rio Castille. At your service—sir."

"Castille? Does that mean—?" Itsuki asked, recalling the surname. If his memory was right, it was the name of the family who runs the Bureau.

"Yes sir! I am the daughter of Baltus Castille, owner of this museum." The girl immediately responded back.

"Alright, I'll be out in a—" Itsuki stepped back to inspect himself. His hair was a mess, and his body reeked of gunpowder and sweat from last evening's lovemaking. "In a couple of minutes."

"Roger that sir—" Even before the girl, Rio, could finish, Itsuki immediately closed the door.

" _God, I need to freshen up…"_ The weary Lieutenant thought as he stretched, heading straight into the shower room.

* * *

"The Preservation Bureau was founded by my father a few years before the war resumed after the meteor cataclysm."

Trudging along the museum's polished floors were Rio and Itsuki, his visage all fixed up. At the latter's behest, the former was explaining things about the Bureau as they made their way to their next destination, which was the hidden underground base. They had to pass the museum's main hall which held their most famous attraction: a fully restored Gojulas MK-II Limited; posed as if it was snarling at an enemy Zoid, its back hunched over in order to fit inside the museum without sticking out of the roof like a sore thumb.

"Compared to the Guylos Empire, the Republic had a hard time recuperating its strength after the cataclysm, mostly because we haven't been able to preserve much of our Zoid designs, forcing us to rebuild most of our forces from scratch. 'If the Empire can do it, why can't we?' That's what my dad used to say." Rio continued to narrate, even as they reached an elevator and rode it deep into the ground below the museum.

"So, this Bureau decided to catalog most of our new Zoids and preserve their data should—you know? Another meteor strike happens and all our progress gets wiped out?" Rio continued saying all these with a slight hint of enthusiasm rising from her voice, though she obviously tried hard to stay composed.

"Interesting." Itsuki complimented the young pilot. His attention was immediately directed towards the large underground hangar that greeted them once the elevator doors opened. Different kinds of Zoids lined up along the walls although compared to the show pieces upstairs, these Zoids were still alive and combat worthy. His own Liger sat near the corner, adjacent to Alta's König Wolf.

"This is our main hangar. Aside from acting as a repair bay for the Zoids, we also do most of our modifications and restorations in this area—in the event a Zenebas patrol stops by. Up ahead are the simulators we use to train the pilots." Rio continued, pointing at the various facilities while she described each one. Itsuki's eyes immediately trailed off to look at a pair of black Blade Ligers sitting on the far right.

"Those Ligers…will they be used in battle too?" Itsuki asked the young woman ahead of him, pausing for a while in order to get a better look.

"Yes. I understand that these models are much better off preserved since the military does not make them anymore but, we don't really have a choice. This is war and, we've got to give it all we've got." Rio looked at Itsuki directly in the eyes. "I was the one who supervised the recommission of these Ligers. I can assure you, they'll live up to expectation. They may look fresh out of the factory after the work we've done but, these Ligers are both veterans and have already seen action in the battlefield."

"Okay. So who's piloting them?"

"I will take one." Rio replied though she didn't seem too confident when she did, causing a slight hint of worry on Itsuki's part..

"And the other?"

"Oh, its pilot is a classmate of mine named Janus Rez. Top of the class and good skills but—" Upon mentioning the pilot's name, Rio's tone shifted to one of uncertainty.

"But what?" Itsuki asked on.

"Well—you'll see for yourself sir. Let's go to the simulators—the others are waiting for you there." Rio walked on, with Itsuki trailing a little behind.

"He's not really problematic sir. He just—tends to get a little too rowdy at times…" Rio explained with a sigh.

* * *

"I'll get you yet—!" A young man in his early twenties grunted as he shifted the joystick a little to the right, trying to get his sights locked on the opponent in front of him. Brushing aside the strands of his green hair that suddenly dropped to his face, he took aim and fired away, the guns of his Zoid blazing, raining heavy fire down on the pavement in front.

The Zoid he was using was a Cannonfort, a smaller derivative of the stronger Dibison. Although it was small, it packed considerable firepower capable of pinning down a Dark Horn provided they've got the numbers. On the other hand, its enemy was lighter and more maneuverable as evidenced by the fact that the Cannonfort pilot hadn't been able to land a single hit despite the open field of sand that served as their battleground.

"Damn! Where did he go this time?!" The Cannonfort pilot grunted angrily as his Zoid's head swayed side to side, anticipating an incoming attack.

"Hah! Got you off-guard again, Kiro!" Startled by a sudden yelling from his comms, the Cannonfort stepped back as a Guylos Heldigunner emerged from the sand, taking the artillery Zoid by surprise. As the Cannonfort tried to reorganize itself, the Heldigunner's turret flexed forward and with two, calculated shots to the Zoid's weapons load and legs, took the Cannonfort out of commission.

 _Simulation Over. Winner: Janus Rez_

"Hah! I got you again! And with an enemy Zoid to boot!" A red-haired young man leaps out of his seat from the simulation console, removing the various appendages that linked him to the machine.

"Alright, alright. You got me this time…" The pilot simulating using the Cannonfort also stood up. "What did I do wrong again?"

"Blind spot round your six man. You're not looking hard enough again, Kiro." The red-haired pilot relayed his analysis of their earlier battle.

"Got it. Let's have another go, Janus. This time with larger Zoids and less forgiving terrain." The pilot named Kiro urged Janus on for another match.

"No way! Not if you're going to be cheating again!" Janus laughed as he stepped out of the simulator completely, making sure to properly turn off the device.

"Really? When did I ever cheat against you?"

"Second term, third class? Simulation was a battle encounter on a terrain barricaded by tall walls? We were supposed to use Zoids up to extra-large class. So I went barreling in with a DCS-Jaguar while you chilled back—shooting at me with a Gojulas!" Janus exclaimed, elbowing his friend on the back.

"How does that count as cheating? Well, whatever… Rio probably wants us back upstairs anyway." Kiro sighed as he rubbed his shoulder.

"There you are!" A familiar woman's voice called out to them from the entrance of the simulator room.

"Hey Rio." Kiro greeted as he poured himself a cup of water.

"Hey, what are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to watch the front desk or something?!" Janus teased the girl as she walked towards them.

"Haha! Very funny!" Rio replied with sarcasm as she made her way towards the two boys. "Behave yourselves now! We've received our assignment."

"I take it these are remaining pilots?" At that moment, Itsuki entered the room, causing the two boys to straighten up and raise their hands in salute. "At ease gentlemen. So, I heard you guys were quite competent?"

"Janus is top of our class. His skills are exceptional and even if he could be rowdy at times, he's never violated an order before." Rio speaks up on Janus' behalf, lest he says anything that could get him in trouble.

"And you?" Itsuki turns to face the green-haired pilot.

"Kiro Kanato, from Rio's batch. I work as a guard for the museum upstairs." The young man humbly replied.

"So you've had actual experience fighting before?"

"Both in a Zoid and against personnel sir." Kiro responded, giving a quick rundown of his experience at the Preservation Bureau.

"What about you two?" Itsuki turns to Rio and Janus again as he asks about their experience and expertise.

"Among the top seven when it comes to simulations but otherwise, I do not have any actual combat experience sir." Rio explained frankly, without hiding anything. "I mostly oversee and perform repairs and restorations so I'm quite versed in matters of Zoid biology and construction."

"Scouting and patrolling. Had a few brushes a couple of years ago but never had anything that erupted into full-blown fights. Oh, but just two days ago, me and Kiro caught sight of a small, Imperial detachment headed down the mountains up north." Janus explained, recalling an incident that occurred just recently.

"Two days ago?" Itsuki was rather surprised by the news. " _That's just after we've taken over Mount Cybele…"_ He wondered. Had the Viscount catch on to what they planned? About splitting up and taking Naruse with him? "This detachment…what did they look like? What Zoids were they using?"

"Well, we've spotted a Whale King but apart from that, nothing else came out of that Zoid's mouth. Personnel and small vehicles were the only things moving around last time we checked." Janus continued to explain the situation.

"And when was the last time you scouted this area?"

"Just yesterday. Some officers came into town to buy supplies so me and Kiro kind of just tailed them to see what they were up to." Janus continued his story. "We couldn't really get too close but, it seems like they were excavating something. Something hidden in the glacier."

" _Only the Viscount would think of sending off expeditionary forces like these at this point in the war…"_ Itsuki thought, remembering the incident at Kalanes. "Rio!"

"Yes, sir?"

"Do you have any Zoids that can operate in this snow?"

"We have a reconnaissance Spinosapper and a snow-operation Guysack stashed away somewhere. They're not that strong in battle but they should allow us to slip in undetected." Rio replied, trying to recall the Zoids they can use in the situation. "We also have a pair of Bear Fighters but although we can use them in the snow, their weapons are rather…antique."

"Doesn't matter." Disregarding the fact that they were limited in Zoids, Itsuki turns to address his recruits. "We're heading up there. Rio and Janus, get those Zoids ready. Kiro, establish a small communications base somewhere near our operating perimeter. We'll see what these guys are up to." Itsuki turned to leave for the hangars once he had given their orders.

"Yes, sir!" Everyone in the room replied in unison.

* * *

Itsuki passed his Blade Liger as he walked down the hangar. As much as he wanted to take the Zoid along, the Liger wasn't adjusted for fighting in the snow yet. It would take some time and there was the danger of attracting unwanted attention. Upon closer inspection, he noticed a familiar figure standing before his new Zoid as if inspecting it like some ancient diamond. Pausing for a while, he approached the woman whose eyes were still fixed on the white lion ahead.

"Blade Liger huh?" Alta started, fully aware that Itsuki had walked up beside her. "You haven't changed at all, Itsuki. You still prefer if you could control everything."

"I'm not like you Alta. I don't really buy into all this bonding stuff. Artificial bodies are the best I can manage." Itsuki explained.

"Figures." Seemingly content with his answer, Alta turned to walk away, towards her own Zoid.

"So you think you're a better pilot than I am huh?" Itsuki let out a small chuckle, prompting Alta to glance back at him.

"I didn't say that." Alta answers back with a smile. "Why don't I come with you guys?"

"Alright." Itsuki was quick to give his consent, owing to the fact that the two have known each other for a long time. "You better keep up though." Itsuki teases Alta a little before walking towards a Bear Fighter.

"Heh, we'll see which one of us needs to keep up!" Alta let out a small laugh as she headed for her Zoid: the black König Wolf she used at Kalanes.

* * *

"Achoo! Damn, it's cold out here…" Vishna grumbled slightly as she shivered in the snowy air, clutching her jacket tighter to her chest.

Their team was sent by the Viscount to the north, near the glaciers. It was a rather bad time for them as winter was now setting in, making the excavation project all the more difficult. Plus, they were in the middle of unfamiliar terrain, right in the middle of Helic territory. When push comes to shove, they only have the superiority of their Zoids to rely on and even that performance advantage was compromised by the terrain.

" _Vishna, do you read me?_ " Sakura's voice called over from the radio. " _Operations have finished on my end. Tell Ms. Zhou to send a team to pack it up."_

"Got it…Hey!" Vishna immediately heads back to the Hydrarchos to inform them of the development. In a few minutes, transport vehicles headed out to receive the item. What they scavenged were apparently disassembled and stowed away on various cargo trailers, concealing its true nature from any prying eyes.

"Is that the last of it?" Vishna asked Sakura upon seeing her alight from one of the vehicles, dusting off the snow as she did.

"No. I heard there was another set buried further up. There's another storm coming in so I'm heading out in the Geno Saurer. How's the Sabre Tiger?" Sakura replied, asking about the status of Vishna's Zoid.

"No luck. De-icers are having difficulty thawing out its components. Sera's Red Horn is fine—provided it stays within the vicinity of the Hydrarchos. Which means—" Vishna sighed, leaning a hand on Sakura's shoulder as she whispered. "You're the only one we can rely on should we be found out. Again."

"Always giving me the hard stuff aren't you guys?" Somehow, the young Imperial Lieutenant managed a laugh in face of their difficult situation.

"Of course. That's why you get promoted and we don't!" Vishna laughed, referring to Sakura's earlier climb in rank.

"Gee, thanks Vishna."

* * *

As the Guylos remnants continued their excavation mission, four pairs of eyes watched their actions closely, taking note of every single detail they can find. Itsuki, Alta, Janus and Rio managed to climb the mountains to spy on the remnant's activities. They had left their Zoids in order to proceed on foot in order to take advantage of the narrow passage leading to a hidden cavern which they can hide in.

"Dude, you seeing this?" Janus whispers into his radio as he held a camera up in order to film what was transpiring below.

" _Janus, your hand is too shaky! I'm seeing nothing but blurs everywhere!"_ Kiro answered back from the other side, a little irritated at his ally's horrible camera work.

"I'm trying dude!" Janus answered back in an irritated whisper. "Why don't you switch places with me then?"

"So this is what they were after…" Itsuki muttered as he looked over the ongoing Imperial excavation. From the cavern they were hiding in, he could already recognize what it was their adversary was excavating.

"Itsuki, you don't think—?" Alta asks as she leaned in to take a closer look.

"They'll probably use these to strike at our landing forces. Cunning. Unfortunately, we lack the necessary arms to take on these guys right now. We could intercept them when they come down from the mountain but that would endanger the city. Report this back to main command. They need to know what we'll be up against." Itsuki orders Rio.

"Roger." The girl obediently followed suit.

"Well we can't just let them get these monsters out. I don't think our naval forces can fight all five of these should they come all at once!" Janus protests the apparent lack of action.

"They won't. We'll hit what remains of the other fossils hard while we're in here. Isn't that right, Itsuki?" Alta assures the troops as she glances at the person in charge. For a while, even Itsuki hesitates at the thought of the operation. Would it be worth the lives of these new recruits?

Only one way to find out.

"Yeah. We'll hit them hard alright. Prepare our Zoids. We can't go back due to time constraints so we'll have to make do with what we have right now." Itsuki rallies the small group under his command.

"But—can we really pull this off?" Rio raises her doubts, causing Itsuki to re-examine their Zoids. A Bear Fighter, two Guysacks and a König Wolf. Plus the Spinosapper on the ground. Compared to their opponents, their Zoids were severely lacking in power.

"We're hilariously outgunned sure. But we know this place, and we know the cold. We've lived here for a reason." Itsuki reassures the young woman.

"So we can make this work then?" It was Janus' turn to ask, enthusiasm rising from his voice.

"Yeah. We can ambush the Imperial forces."

* * *

 **Writer's Note:** Chapter 10 is here! Long delay, I know! Sorry! Classes got too hectic as it's already the start of our thesis.

Introduction for Itsuki's team-the Retaliation Force. The Helic people need some love on the characters side. XD

Well, expect other chapters to roll in soon. Until then, see you!


	12. Chapter 11 - The First Signs of Weakness

_(Disclaimer: I do not own the Zoids franchise. Copyright goes to Tomy for making this fantastic series. All I own are this story, its characters and some concept Zoids that might appear.)_

 **Zoids: Lost Eden**

 **Chapter 11: The First Sign of Weakness**

* * *

Chimera City. One of Neo-Zenebas' most heavily fortified strongholds in the Central Continent. High-tech BLOX Zoids, the product of Eastern Continent's ingenuity, patrol the grounds with several units stationed near the border crossing. Led by command Zoids like Styluarmor and Lord Gale, these drones now comprise more than half of the Empire's fighting force, turning their army into an unrivaled mass of numbers and firepower.

In the center of the city lies a rather imposing tower that reaches high into the sky, towering even over an Iron Kong. Various Imperial officials had gathered here. War is nearing its final stages and it is now the best opportunity for the Zenebas army to demonstrate the might of their forces. Among those gathered was the Viscount, the masked hunter.

"I hear your exploits are rather…questionable as of late." One of the council members spoke up. He carried with him a folder containing images of the Viscount's most recent operations. "In addition to allowing that guerilla unit to slip past your fingers, you've also failed in your defense at Mount Cybele! Clearly, you're starting to lose your old ferocity!"

"And what was that incident in Kalanes all about?" Another council member added. "I don't recall high command giving you authorization to do such a thing?"

"Correct. We demand an explanation right now!"

Amidst the heated voices lashing out their frustrations at him, the Viscount didn't seem to flinch at their threats which he perceived as empty. His preparations were almost complete. Soon, there would be no need to put up with what he thinks is a pathetic excuse of an empire.

"Funny. From what I can gather, none of you were able to defeat the Retaliation Force either." The Viscount calmly spoke up as he turned to face the man who first started criticizing his recent actions. "Lord Kimmel, wasn't the Southern border assigned under your supervision?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Well, around three days ago, the Retaliation Force recently received a shipment of new armaments, including four Gunblusters. Scouts have reported that the convoy came from the southern territory. Now, how did a force as big as that slip through our network unopposed and undetected?" The Viscount asked with a cunning smirk.

"W-Well, I suppose I'll need to launch an inquiry on this matter!" The council member immediately became flustered at the mention of the convoy.

"Indeed, you should. Seeing that your recent SALN shows an increase in your total assets, I suppose you have more than enough financial capability to scrape up the last bits of resistance under your territory."

"Increase in assets?"

"What is going on here, Lord Kimmel?"

The voices immediately turned to Lord Kimmel who was visibly stunned by the sudden turn of events. Satisfied, the Viscount leaned back on his seat, savoring the uproar he caused among the elite members of the Empire.

"I must say, the Supreme Council's manner of conduct have been lessened as of late." A young yet confident voice suddenly cut through the myriad of insults, plunging the entire room in silence. From the doors of the meeting room, a young blonde man garbed in Imperial regalia walked inside, prompting the rest of the Council to stand up and acknowledge his presence.

"Our apologies, your Highness." One of the council members finally spoke up on their behalf.

"Never mind. You may now take your seats if you wish."

"Yes, your Highness."

The man was Wolff Muroa, son of Gunther Proitzen and the current Emperor of the risen Zenebas. Once everyone was seated, he urged them to continue the meeting, reminding them to stay calm and civil as they did so.

"Your Highness, I would like to bring up the matter regarding the Viscount. He may have proven himself and his Guylos remnants useful in the past but we cannot deny that his recent exploits haven't been very impressive as of late. Never mind that unauthorized excursion at Kalanes, allowing Mount Cybele to fall easily to the enemy forces shouldn't be something that should go unpunished!" Lord Kimmel immediately brought up the matter regarding the Viscount.

"And I suggest we launch a full inquiry regarding Lord Kimmel's controversial dealings with the Republic!" The Viscount argued back.

"What?!" Lord Kimmel protested.

"Think about it. Where else would you get all that money? A large Republican convoy slips past undetected, allowing our enemies to replenish their forces enough to overpower our defenses. Then Lord Kimmel's assets as reflected in his statement showed a significant increase. Put two and two together and that's the only conclusion it leads to."

"Your allegations are nothing but baseless speculation!"

"Then why not comply if you have nothing to hide?!"

"Gentlemen!" Wolff Muroa slams his hand on the table as he shouted. "We cannot waste time arguing amongst ourselves!" In that instant, the Emperor diverted their attention towards a screen showing the whole Central Continent. "In the past few months alone, the Republicans have conducted several operations across fourteen regions!"

"Fourteen?"

"Preposterous!"

"But it is true." Muroa gathers his calm visage once again. "Having received overwhelming support from the Eastern Continent, it's only a matter of time before they are able to field an army that can match ours. And just recently, we have just received reports that thanks to ZOITEC, they have now developed a counter to our Focused Particle Cannon!"

"Can't we just launch an attack on the Eastern Continent? Eliminate this ZOITEC from the scene and reduce the number of enemies we have to deal with." One of the council women suggests.

"True but the Eastern Continent is too far. We may as well have given the Republicans their victory should we vacate the continent to make war somewhere else." Another protested.

"And there is still the issue of ever-increasing anti-Imperial sentiments among the populace." The Viscount added. "Thanks to the actions of various units like the Retaliation Force, the people are beginning to see that the rule of Neo-Zenebas is slowly starting to crumble under its own weight."

"Regardless, we have to find a way to respond to this series of reverses." Wolff Muroa sighs.

"But how are we going to respond if one of our units has proven themselves incompetent in their task?!" Lord Kimmel again attacks the Viscount.

"Likewise, how do you expect me to do my job properly while there's a traitor in our midst?!" The Viscount immediately counters back.

"This situation is rather convoluted it seems…" Wolff Muroa sighed as he rubbed his temples. Turning to the other council members, he asked them for suggestions on how to deal with the situation. The Viscount almost smiled at this. Muroa was a decent leader but he was clearly not much of a politician like his father was.

"Your Highness, if I may?" One of the councilwomen spoke up. "Indeed both Lord Kimmel and the Viscount have been caught up in such a controversy but there is no question that we need both of them right now. With our army undergoing massive reorganization, only the Viscount has the capacity to freely pursue the guerilla forces. Managing affairs in the south will also be difficult without Lord Kimmel's influence."

"And is it really okay to just leave it all to the Guylos conscripts? They number only a few men. I suggest we provide them with additional manpower." Another councilwoman spoke up.

"And risk letting the Viscount waste this all in his worthless pursuits?" Lord Kimmel protests.

"I wasn't talking about assigning more soldiers under his command. Simply that we also mobilize our own units once this Republican shadow force wanders close to our territories."

"True." Emperor Muroa saw wisdom in those words. "Very well then—Lady Vestige, I assign you to keep track of Lord Kimmel's activities. Prepare to move your forces South." Emperor Muroa entrusts the task to the councilwoman who defended the two men in question. "And you—" The young emperor turns to the masked hunter. "I've yet to receive a report about your mission in the north."

"We've run into some…unforeseen circumstances which delayed the extraction but otherwise, we managed to complete our task. I've just received word that the Hydrarchos is en route. They'll be here by nightfall." The Viscount explained, referring to Captain Ash's mission. "Unfortunately, we were only able to recover three out of the five units buried there. The remaining ones were intercepted and destroyed by the enemy."

"See? This is what I was talking about!" Lord Kimmel resumed his attacks.

"With all due respect, Sir—" The Viscount emphasizes the word "sir" as if to insult the man criticizing him. "Two of those five units were already damaged by snow and ice that I doubt you'll be able to use them were we able to recover them intact either way. Well, maybe you can but—" The Viscount then turns an eye to the Emperor. "Sadly, all of the production plants of the old Guylos Empire were taken down by Zenebas High Command, taking all the developmental data down with it." The Viscount meant it as an insult to Wolff Muroa, who pushed for the abolition of old Guylos facilities when he took over the continent in order to make room for the development of original, Neo-Zenebas designs.

"I see." Nevertheless, the Emperor calmly accepted the criticism thrown at him. "Three units would have to do for now." The Emperor turns to face the other councilwoman. "I'll have to speak with the other commanders about this but they'll probably agree. Just take care not to waste too many resources on it."

"As you wish, your Highness."

 _BAM!_

Just as the meeting seemed to settle down, a messenger immediately stormed in the session hall with a flustered expression on his face. He immediately saluted the young emperor and proceeded to discuss his recent findings.

"Urgent report! Our scouts have detected a large Republican fleet from the Eastern Continent headed our way! Similar movements have also been sighted beyond the northern borders! " Immediately, he showed footage of a large movement across the sea. A formation of over a dozen Zoid carriers and turtleships.

"They've moved faster than I anticipated…Damn!" Muroa silently curses as he hears the disconcerting news.

"What should we do about this?" Lord Kimmel asks, wiping off some sweat that had started accumulating on his forehead.

"We can pull back the army and concentrate it around the capital. Rather than risk losing our forces in a head-on attack while we haven't ascertained the enemy's strength, we should focus on bolstering our defenses in the meantime." The councilwoman, Lady Vestige suggested.

"And risk all other territories we've conquered? They'll immediately turn over to Helic's side once we pull out the garrisons stationed there!" Lord Kimmel contests the suggestion.

"What's the matter, Kimmel? Afraid of losing all the wealth you accumulated in the south?"

"You shut up here!"

For a while, the whole council erupted into chaos as arguments escalated into full-blown shouting matches, with insults thrown on all sides. Nonetheless, the Viscount did relished the scene. The first signs of the Empire's weakness is starting to show. It was only a matter of time.

"Settle down, all of you!" Wolff Muroa once again attempts to pacify the situation. "How do you expect to come to a unified decision if you're all squabbling amongst yourselves like a pack of wild dogs?!" Having calmed the council members, the Emperor turns to face the Viscount. "Can I leave this in your hands?"

"I object!" Lord Kimmel was quick to voice an objection. "I say this movement from the Guylos continent was all orchestrated by this exiled prince here!"

"Then why don't we split the task Lord Kimmel?" The Viscount immediately retorts. "I'll take on the incoming forces from the east while you handle the problem in the north. That should leave no rooms for doubts now right?"

"What are you saying?" Kimmel asks.

"The Viscount means to attack while the enemy is en route. Engage them in battle now, while they aren't capable of utilizing the full strength of their army. Our Zoids are superior to theirs when it comes to naval engagements—I think it's a rather solid plan." Emperor Muroa explained.

"I also think that's the proper course of action." Lady Vestige echoes the Emperor's sentiments.

"Agreed."

"Yeah."

The council members likewise, agreed with the decision since they wouldn't be directly involved in the battle to come. The Viscount knows this fact as well. Politicians will never endanger themselves after all.

"Very well… If that is the council's decision then I have no choice but to accept." Finally, Lord Kimmel also agreed.

"Good. In the meantime, we will bolster our defenses around our main strongholds like Chimera City, the Capital and Mount Arthur. Send word to the BLOX manufacturing plants and tell them to speed up the production of the Chimeras. Also, prepare the evacuation centers. I don't want any civilian casualties, understood?"

The whole council nodded in agreement.

"Alright. Then, this meeting is adjourned! Everyone, back to your positions!"

* * *

The Viscount immediately caught up to the young Emperor as he walked towards his personal quarters. Despite being in the presence of the highest-ranked official in the land, the Viscount spoke to him like they were mere strangers, stemming from the fact that both of them come from different Empires. He was sure the Emperor didn't mind though. After all, he wasn't a politician.

"By the way, I just got back from checking the Chimera manufacturing plant. Care to take a guess what I found?" The Viscount slyly approaches the Emperor.

"So you've seen it?" Emperor Muroa responded without much of a glance in his direction.

"Of course. Impressive work on that Zoid by the way. Almost makes me think it was worth discarding the Berserk Fuhrer. Well, almost." The Viscount carried on, coming off as a bit sarcastic at that last bit.

"Believe me, once that Zoid enters the testing phase, it will blow even your prized Fuhrer out of the water." The Emperor paused for a bit to stare outside the window. "I cannot let the shadow of Guylos hang over us like a wailing phantom that won't go away. Hehe! Zoids like the one you've seen have always been revered as heroes. Fitting that it should be the flagship of our new, reorganized army."

"Rather grand words about a Zoid that hasn't even proven its skill in battle." At this remark, the Emperor turns to face the Viscount, his anger visibly expressed in his gaze. "Well, no matter. If you want, I can do the testing for you."

"What are you getting at?"

"Give me one of those. I'm certain it will help a lot in our attack against the Republicans."

"You have a point." Smiling, the Emperor continued walking, followed closely by the Viscount who trudged just a little bit behind him. "Indeed, the power of that new Zoid coupled with the three antiques you excavated from the north would be more than enough to crush the Republican fleet once and for all." The two finally reached the elevator and once the doors opened, the Emperor headed inside. "There's just one problem though."

"And what is that?" The Viscount asks.

"I don't trust you." Leaving those words behind, the elevator doors closed, leaving the Viscount alone on the floor as Emperor Muroa left the hall. Unlike the other council members, Emperor Muroa knew him all too well.

* * *

 **Writer's Note:** Chapter 11 is up! More scenes from the Neo-Zenebas side.


	13. Chapter 12 - Encounter in the Snow

_(Disclaimer: I do not own the Zoids franchise. Copyright goes to Tomy for making this fantastic series. All I own are this story, its characters and some concept Zoids that might appear.)_

 **Zoids: Lost Eden**

 **Chapter 12: Encounter in the Snow**

* * *

" _From the looks of it, the snow has made it nearly impossible for the Remnants to utilize a bulk of their Zoids. A Gatling equipped Red Horn is guarding the Whale King and the excavated cargo though it hasn't changed its position for over an hour. It's probably safe to assume that it isn't completely snow-worthy yet."_ Alta relays what she saw through her Zoid's advanced sensors. Despite the contrast, her Zoid's stonewashed coloration easily allowed it to blend in with the dark crags beyond the Remnant's base of operations.

"Which means the only Zoids they have that can actively oppose us is that white Geno Saurer." Itsuki commented as he worked on a plan with Janus and Rio.

"Still, that Geno Saurer is very much capable of killing all four of our current Zoids." Rio reminded them. "We should probably avoid facing it head-on if possible." Rio draws up a map showing the positions of the Remnant base and the five excavation sites. "They've finished excavating two leaving only three more."

"Guess that Geno Saurer will no longer be making rounds around those two areas then. This could be their blind spot." Janus points out.

"Agreed. According to Alta's observation, that Geno Saurer tends to keep watch only around this area." Itsuki jots down a location on the map. "It allows him ample time to get to any of the remaining three sites quickly enough should they encounter an attack. Rio, your family's very familiar with this area correct? Is there a way to get to the remaining excavation sites through the completed ones?"

"There should be."

"Alright. Then I want you and Janus to take the Guysacks and tunnel underground to this area." Itsuki commanded, jotting down the site he wants the two to take out. "I'll take the Bear Fighter and strike the central excavation site; the closest to that Whale King."

"Are you sure sir? If you strike there, you may have to fight not just the Geno Saurer but also that Red Horn." Rio asked, a little concerned.

"Don't worry about me. Believe me I've fought worse."

" _You were also using better Zoids back then. Tell you what, why don't you leave that Geno Saurer and Red Horn to me?"_ Alta cuts in. _"My König Wolf has way better specs and armaments than your Bear Fighter."_

"I would rather not risk our current best Zoid this early in the plan though." Itsuki countered. "I want you to stay back and prepare to switch places with me should I fail."

" _Sorry, I'm not a Republican soldier. I'm not obligated to follow you."_ Alta chuckled. _"Believe me Itsuki, this plan will work better if you leave those guys to me. Trust me."_

"Ugh…alright." Itsuki reluctantly agreed. "Then I'll take the Bear Fighter and strike at the last site. If we all attack at once, we might be able to confuse the Geno Saurer for a moment on which location to prioritize. It will most likely be your location Alta. It's the closest to the Whale King after all."

" _I understand."_

"Alright. Get to your Zoids. We don't have much time."

* * *

Inside the Geno Saurer, Sakura lets out a slight yawn. She hasn't gotten much rest since the battle of Mount Cybele. She keeps thinking back to the fight with Alyx. Somehow, she found it hard to believe that her old friend who had never been involved in war could muster the will to oppose her. Let alone pilot a Zoid.

" _Why can't she just come with me? If I ever see her again, I don't know if I have it in me to fight her."_ Sakura sighed. "Let alone kill her…"

" _Who's killing who?"_ Seral's voice cut through the intercom, surprising the young girl.

"Oh, it's just you Seral. It's nothing, I'm just…talking to myself."

" _You've been out there for over three hours. Get in and let me take over."_ The older girl suggested. _"I can handle a Geno Saurer. I'll have Vishna take over in the Red Horn."_

"Hmm…I don't know."

" _Ohh~ Are you implying I can't pilot it as well as you do?"_ Seral teases.

"Ah, it's not that. It's just—Ms. Zhou just loaned it to me and she might blow up on me if it comes back damaged. Ah—not that I think you'll damage it but uhh…let's not have this conversation again please?" Sakura sighed as Seral starts laughing on the intercom.

" _Hahahaha! See? Just talking to your friends is taking a lot out of you."_ Seral smiled for a bit before she takes on a more serious tone. _"Get some sleep Sakura. You won't be doing us any favors if you pass out in the middle of battle."_

"Okay." Sakura replied. "I'm bringing the G inside then. Thanks for taking over my shift Seral."

" _You got it girl! Now get back here and take your beauty rest~"_

 _BOOOM!_

The sound of a massive explosion caught their attention again. Smoke rose up a little further down where the third excavation was taking place. A distress call was sent to the Geno Saurer by the panicked engineers.

" _Harvest 3 to Harvest Base! We are under attack! Enemy is piloting a Helic Bear Fighter!"_

"Copy that! Hang tight, I'm on my way Harvest 3!" Sakura springs back to action as the Geno Saurer got ready to move out while the Red Horn descends from the hangar of the Hydrarchos.

"Be careful Sakura. I'll hold the fort here while you're gone." Seral assures her.

"Gotcha. Thanks again Seral." Just as the Geno Saurer makes for the other dig, two high-caliber shots were fired in her direction. Sakura's quick reflexes manages to yank the Zoid back just in time to avoid it but a couple more soon came after.

 _BANG! BANG!_

Again, she was able to evade the volley but she was unfortunately forced back to her original position. Sensing this, Seral's Red Horn started firing her Zoid's main guns, trying to flush out the unseen sniper.

"Harvest 3, we're in a bind here as well! It may take us a while to get to you!" Sakura informs the site as she fires up her Zoid's sensors. However, it didn't seem to register anything out of the ordinary.

"No good! It's outside my detection range." She calls out to Seral.

"Damn! What kind of sniper can shoot at us in this kind of weather and terrain?" Seral wonders just as another shot nearly grazed her Zoid's heavy armaments.

" _Harvest 5 to Harvest Base! We've been hit from underground! Dig is going—AAAAAHHHH!"_ A transmission from the venue further up north was received by Seral and Sakura but the transmissions immediately cut to static with nothing more than the faint sounds of a cave-in coming through.

"Harvest 5, explain what happened! Harvest 5! HARVEST 5!" Seral tries calling out again but as expected, nothing but static. Slight tremors rocked the two Imperial Zoids as a loud groan was heard from the shifting glacier.

"Underground? Damn! I can't believe we let them slip under our noses!" Sakura cursed as she fires a couple more shots from her pulse lasers, trying to hit a target she cannot see.

"Sakura, we have to hold the fort here! We need to salvage this item! So, destroy the enemy sniper machine at all costs!" Seral reiterates to her younger comrade.

"I understand but, where is he?!"

* * *

From the darkness of the mountain pass, Alta kept herself steady, calmly analyzing the two large Zoids and making sure her attacks count. She did find the two pilots to be quite competent, having evaded her twice now. The random gunfire coming from the two drew closer so Alta got around to changing her Zoid's position.

" _Still, that Geno Saurer pilot's quite good to be able to evade my shots like that."_ Alta notes as her Zoid shifts to a new position. " _That movement feels familiar though. It's like the one we fought at Mt. Cybele. I think Alyx called her Sakura. Could she be the same girl?"_ She recalls the conversation Alyx had with the enemy pilot. It seems they were good friends several years ago, judging from the way the Geno Saurer pilot tried reaching out to her to the hesitation she observed from Alyx's attacks.

"I guess fate can be very cruel at times like this." Alta sighed to herself as she takes aim at the white Geno Saurer. _"No hard feelings if I kill her Alyx. It at least spares you the trouble of doing it yourself."_ She thought to herself as she pulls the trigger. The Geno Saurer as expected, dodges the volley for a third time.

"Easier said than done huh?" A grin starts to form around Alta's face. It's been a while since she faced a pilot as skilled as this. As long as she can pin them down and force a retreat though, their mission should go as planned. Further up north, another explosion was heard and tremors resounded across the snow-covered floor.

" _This is Rio. We have succeeded in bringing down the excavation site."_ Rio reports in; their Guysacks retreating as the whole site comes crashing down in the snow, taking with it the relic the Remnants were trying to retrieve.

"Understood. Move in to assist Itsuki. Haven't heard anything from his end yet." Alta commanded.

" _Roger!"_

"Itsuki…what's holding you?" Alta wonders as she prepares to take aim again. The gunfire from both Zoids have stopped possibly to conserve their ammunition. Lying low for a while had been a good call for Alta. Adjusting her scope, she now shifts her aim to the Geno Saurer's cockpit.

" _Goodbye pilot."_

 _ROOOAAARRR!_

A loud roar forces Zoid to dodge back just as a red Tiger Zoid attempted to pounce on her. The Sabre Tiger had deployed and was now baring its fangs at the enigmatic Wolf Zoid; its green eyes staring coldly at their dark opponent.

"There you are sniper!" Vishna grinned as she commands her Zoid to charge, firing her lasers at Alta. The König Wolf stepped back and counters using its DSR unit. Lacking the missile pods and the element of surprise, Alta prepares to engage the Sabre Tiger in melee combat.

The Wolf lounges with its electron bite fangs but the Tiger manages to avoid the attack by stepping back and shifting its body to the left. The earlier attack however, was a feint and Alta immediately follows with a quick swipe of her Zoid's left paw upwards, striking the Tiger's chin and sending it toppling over near the edge of the cliff.

"Don't underestimate me!" Downed and with their back turned to the enemy due to the uppercut, Vishna fires the lasers mounted on her Zoid's tail, forcing Alta to step back and give her ample time to reorganize her Zoid.

"The Sabre Tiger's not as weak as you think!" Vishna chuckles as her Zoid prepares for another round. Likewise, Alta withdraws the DSR and readies her Zoid's electron fang and claws.

"Bring it on then kid."

* * *

"Hey, isn't he ready yet?! We're practically sitting ducks out there!" Vishna yells at the mechanics working on the Sabre Tiger's insulation system in order to shield it from the harsh cold outside. "Aarrghh! Why couldn't you have worked on this earlier? You handled the Red Horn just fine!"

"Sorry, we didn't think we'd be needing all the Zoids in this remote location." One of the men apologized though that only got him a glare from the young and impatient pilot. Outside, the sounds of battle continue to echo all the way back to the Hydrarchos.

"Equip one of the heaters reserved for the Geno Saurer in the meantime! This whole trip would be for nothing if we aren't able to secure at least three of the specimens!" Zhou suggests an alternative which the engineers worked on right away. She then turns her attention to Vishna. "The caliber of gunfire is way too strong for a Gun Sniper. Possibly even a Sniper Master. When you deploy, I want you to take the left path. It leads to the mountain. From the position where the guns are firing, my hunch is that our unseen opponent is hidden there."

"Got it!" Vishna nods. The mechanics step away from the Zoid and gives her a thumbs up. The Sabre Tiger was ready to go.

"You only have ten minutes to stay operational and I wager most of that time will be spent on scaling those cliffs. Do you understand?" Zhou asks.

"I'll make every second count." The Sabre Tiger's cockpit doors close and the Zoid moves to the launching pad. "Vishna Siegel, going out!"

She eventually reached her target. However, a quick look at the remaining time she has before her Zoid suffers a system freeze from the cold revealed she only had two more minutes. The König Wolf had proven to be a formidable opponent despite its cover being blown. She tried to avoid an attack by its jaws but it only caused her to be pushed back near the edge of the cliff where she struggled to get up. She fired her rear-facing lasers as potshots but missed.

"Shit! How good is this guy?" Vishna wonders as her Zoid gets back on its feet. Planting one paw firmly on the ground, she felt a slight give in the structure she was standing on. _"This could work…"_

"Let's hope this works! Get him Sabre!" Vishna shifts the control of her Zoid as if it was about to pounce at the König Wolf. The Wolf responds by rising to its full speed and charging head on. A few meters away, the Wolf jumps, going for a strike with its claws from above. The Imperial soldier had anticipated this however and immediately, she moves the Sabre Tiger out of the way by sidestepping and shooting at the ground. The Wolf fails its assault and lands near the edge with such force that the cliff soon give way, sending the previously hidden Zoid crashing down below.

"Yeah!" Vishna cheered out but she was suddenly stopped when she felt her Zoid move. The König Wolf managed to bite down the Tiger's hind ankle, taking it along as it falls from the cliffs.

"WAAAAAHHHH!" Vishna yells as she was dragged down. The two Zoids came tumbling down below near the final dig site with rocks and ice following afterwards. The Sabre Tiger's leg was completely damaged and the Zoid faced difficulty regaining its footing.

 _Growl…_

On the other hand, the König Wolf looked relatively unscathed aside from a few chips and dents to its armor. It was headed towards the downed Sabre Tiger.

"Like hell am I gonna die here!" Vishna thought to herself as she immediately got to work on unbuckling herself from her Zoid's cockpit. Before the Wolf could strike at her however—

 _ROOAAARRR!_

The Red Horn had arrived, towering over the two mammal Zoids; its beam gatling taking aim at the surprised Wolf.

"You want to get to her, you're gonna have to go through me!" Seral yells out as the Red Horn starts firing.

* * *

Further down from where the main battle was taking place, Itsuki's Bear Fighter was thrashing the dig site. Engaging his Zoid's bipedal form, the Bear Fighter swiped its heavy claws all over the place, sending crates and equipment falling into the abyss. A couple of soldiers tried intercepting him with conventional vehicles and anti-Zoid rifles but the old Bear Zoid was able to shrug most of it off and countered with his own gunfire.

"Almost done. All that's left is…" Just as Itsuki turns his attention to the relic being excavated, two powerful Pulse Laser shots flew by him, nearly totalling his Zoid had he not evaded in time. The white Geno Saurer had arrived, standing above the mountain pass. _"Alta was held up huh?"_ Itsuki thought as he returns his Zoid to its quadruped formation for better speed and access to its main guns.

The Geno Saurer leaps down, attempting to engage Itsuki in close-range combat. It drew one of its killer claws, aiming it at the Bear Zoid's neck but Itsuki manages to force the Zoid to jump out of the way, landing just a few meters away from its bony opponent. However, this maneuver had also proven to be beneficial to the Geno Saurer as well as it has now successfully placed itself in-between their assailant and their precious cargo.

" _Sorry for screwing up Itsuki. Got a bit too careless."_ Alta chuckles from the other end. _"Been forced into the open, can't come in to assist you there."_

Itsuki just sighed. Still, they managed to strike at least one site. The one assigned to him is about to go down as well. If only he could somehow take care of that Geno Saurer. "Figures. Send Rio and Janus over here. I'll hold this guy off!"

" _Roger!"_

"Die!" Sakura yells out as she starts a barrage with her Zoid's nose cannons. The Bear Fighter steps back and fires its electricity cannons. The small-scale gunfire proved ineffective against the Guylos Tyrannosaurus. However, that managed to stall it enough for Itsuki to close in near point-blank range. Switching to bipedal form, he wrestles with the white Zoid, locking itself to avoid being pushed back easily.

"Let's see you try and use your precious particle cannon now." Itsuki murmured as his Zoid's paws seized the Geno Saurer's claws.

"Damn you!" Sakura cursed as she fires her Zoid's rocket boosters, attempting to push back the old Bear. The Bear roars out in pain and defiance as it continued to brace itself. The strength of the larger Zoid soon started to overpower the Bear Fighter.

"Tch!" Itsuki clicks his tongue. _"Thought we could hold out a bit longer…"_

" _Lieutenant Itsuki! Me and Janus have completed the tunnel! We're bringing this excavation down!"_ A ray of hope came in the form of Rio making contact and informing him of the mission's success. _"Get out of there!"_

"Good work! Now head to the point we discussed in the plan!" Itsuki orders. "You too Alta! Forget about that site!"

" _One step ahead of you!"_ Alta responded followed immediately by the sound of her Zoid's smoke dispensers deploying.

 _CRACK…CRAAAASHHH!_

The ice below suddenly gave way, plunging Harvest 3 into an icy abyss below and the archaeological dig with it. "Oh no!" Sakura cried out as she saw the whole thing transpire from within her cockpit. Seizing this opportunity, Itsuki lets go of the Geno Saurer which had been using a lot of propulsion from its rocket boosters, sending it crashing into the nearest wall of ice. Its mission a success, the Bear Fighter turns away to leave, switching back to quadrupedal form.

"Damn it!" Sakura cursed as the Geno Saurer got up. It didn't seem like she sustained any hard injuries but they had lost two of the five antiques they were supposed to retrieve along with a lot of good men and equipment. She found it hard to call the operation a success.

* * *

"Yaaahoooo! Mission complete!" Janus cheers as the four of them made their way down the mountain. All of their Zoids had sustained some damage but otherwise, they all managed to make it back in one piece.

"Hey Janus pipe down!" Rio reprimands the rowdy pilot. "But still…I guess you're right. It does feel great."

"But damn! My heart's still pounding from that battle!"

"That's expected." Alta cuts in, her Zoid following from the rear should any of the Zoids they encountered try to pursue them. "Was that your first time fighting Zoids of that class?"

"YEAH! And I'm feeling rather proud of myself for that!" Janus grins.

"We barely did any fighting though…" Rio chuckles sheepishly.

"Even still, the mission's a success." Itsuki congratulates his small squad. "However, we should avoid close calls like that in the future. Especially you Alta."

"Still worried about me? Told you I'd be fine, didn't I?" The blonde mercenary chuckled. "My partner here's got my back." She refers to her Zoid which gives out a satisfied growl.

"And next time we fight them? We'll be in even stronger Zoids!" Janus continues to cheer. "My Blade Liger's itching for some action."

Sensing their enthusiasm, Itsuki couldn't help but smile. He can't really blame them. The time of the Republic's return is at hand. The day they finally drive the Emperor out of the throne.

* * *

The Remnant's mobile base on the other hand, was rather gloomy. The Sabre Tiger and the Red Horn had both sustained damage from the battle with the König Wolf. Sakura's loaned Geno Saurer had minor damage but otherwise, was still the most combat-worthy Zoid they have. Luckily, all of their main pilots were still alive.

"I think we still have some leftover compound from the supplies used to repair my Geno Saurer. You can check there." Sakura instructs one of the mechanics as she walked around the science vessel, followed closely by Seral.

"Sakura! You must rest!" Seral angrily storms up to the younger pilot. "Stop pushing yourself like that!"

"If you haven't noticed, we just lost over twenty personnel Seral!" Sakura angrily retorts. "We've got our hands full loading up the last of the cargo and finishing the repairs!"

"And what if those raiders come back again? Think you can handle them in your current state?"

"Well I can't just sit here and do nothing!"

"Lieutenant!" A stern, commanding voice calls the attention of the two girls. Gregory Ash had overheard their commotion and has made his way over to them. His cold eyes turn to the younger of the two pilots. "Seral is correct. You're the only one we can count on now so you need to keep your strength up. Get to the infirmary and have your condition checked. And get some sleep. That's an order."

"Yes sir." Sakura weakly replied before heading off to the infirmary.

"Thank you, Captain." Seral thanks the old man. Ash gives her a small smile and nods before leaving the hangar to resume his duties. Taking the elevator to the conference hall, he arrives just in time for the Viscount to make contact, his masked face appearing on the large hologram in the centre of the room.

" _I heard what happened. Still, three units should be enough to proceed with the plan. Do not take it as a total loss Captain."_ The Viscount assures the older soldier; his typical confident grin still plastered on his face. _"We can still proceed as planned."_

"Thank you." Captain Ash just nods. The Viscount seems to find this a little odd. The old captain reaches into the liquor cupboard and pours himself a glass of whiskey.

" _That reminds me…how are your troops holding up? I imagine this encounter to be a little…humiliating for them."_

"If you're wondering about Lieutenant Nagisa, I can assure you that she's fine. Alive. Asleep." Ash sits down, alcohol in hand, on one of the couches in the conference room. The Viscount smiles. Ash gives him a rather knowing look.

" _You've noticed then?"_ The Viscount chuckles.

"It's pretty clear from my perspective." Ash just sighed.

" _As expected of the great Gregory Ash, your observation skills are as sharp as ever."_ The Viscount chuckled. _"So how would you rate her capability Captain?"_

"Despite being the youngest of my pilots, I hold the Lieutenant's combat capability in high regard. Her reflexes are fast and she's surprisingly calm under pressure. I don't know of many pilots who can tame a Geno Saurer's temperament at that age. However—" Ash pauses to take a sip of his drink. Rising from his seat, he walked towards the window overlooking the hangar, staring down at the blue dragon of death being completed underneath. "I noticed her mental state hasn't been too good ever since Mount Cybele. She seems…distracted somehow. I'm not sure if she can handle her new Zoid assignment once it's completed."

" _Is that so?"_ The Viscount seems to have expected the answer. _"Rather interesting isn't it? The bond between Zoid and pilot."_

"If you ask me, I don't really give much thought to mythical superstitions like that." Ash just sighed. "Most of the Zoids we use are artificial bodies anyway. Only your Fuhrer displays the tendency to think on its own."

" _Funny. I used to think that way as well until I was proven wrong."_ The Viscount recalls. _"I've read over the battle log. A black König Wolf huh? Interesting. So, she survived as well…"_

"What do you mean?"

" _Six years ago, during the Nyx invasion I fought a modified Command Wolf piloted by the Leomaster Itsuki Touya. I could've won back then if not for this specific Zoid. Official reports list it MIA and I watched it fall into the ocean with my own eyes. Yet now here it stands before us. This Zoid, against all odds, managed to pull through."_

"But there's no way to tell if the pilot's even the same."

" _Oh, it's her alright. That Zoid won't be moving around otherwise."_ The Viscount confidently asserts. _"Like mine, that Wolf's got a mind of its own."_ He smiles. Ash just shrugs his shoulders. _"So what's your next course of action?"_

"The Red Horn has sustained considerable weapons damage. Some of the internal circuitry of Vishna's Sabre Tiger needs replacing as well. Ms. Zhou also needs a couple more parts for the Hydrarchos. I've done some research and found a town of grave robbers selling the parts we need. We'll have to dock there for a while." Ash reports.

" _Very well. I'll leave it in your hands Captain."_

When the communications cut off, Ash turns his gaze on to the blue Geno Saurer yet again. Most of its armor had been returned and reinforced but the weapons loadout seems to be undergoing a radical modification.

"The bond between Zoid and pilot huh? If that is true, then I'm fearful for the Lieutenant. What kind of bond would she develop with a monster like this?"

* * *

 **Writer's Note:** And after a long hiatus, Chapter 12 is here!


	14. Chapter 13 - A Moment's Reprieve

_(Disclaimer: I do not own the Zoids franchise. Copyright goes to Tomy for making this fantastic series. All I own are this story, its characters and some concept Zoids that might appear.)_

 **Zoids: Lost Eden**

 **Chapter 13: A Moment's Reprieve**

* * *

"Damn it all!" Alyx growled as her hands manoeuvred around the control sticks trying to dodge an incoming volley of gunfire headed her way. Likewise, the Liger Zero responded, spurred on by the feisty spirit of its pilot. Even with the slightly heavier equipment, its agility still pulled through, managing to duck behind the ruins of a dilapidated building in the center of town.

" _What are you doing idiot? You can't just keep running away!"_ Kiminari's voice rang furiously over the open channel, feeling a little frustrated at the newcomer's lack of attentiveness.

"Well what do you want me to do?!" Alyx counters back, all the while manoeuvring her Zoid towards the direction of an old service tunnel. From behind, an odd formation of BLOX Zoids followed. Leading the way was Diplo Guns and Flyscissors, with Scissorstorm and Laserstorm following behind.

" _You're in a Liger Zero! Hit them back!"_

"Yeah, let's see you try doing that then!" Alyx replied as she turned left in an attempt to lead the enemy force away.

As the Republican Army slowly closed in on the Central Continent, the Retaliation Force was making leaps across the continent like never before. Bombing supply lines, intercepting Imperial cargoes, re-kindling anti-Imperial sentiments within the lesser half of the populace—every day was a different mission and in the center of it all, the young girl from Kalanes and her Zoid was taking the lead.

Another volley followed. Laserstorm was furiously closing in on her position.

"Shit! We'll have to do something about this one Zero!" Alyx addresses her Zoid which only responded with a low growl.

" _Alyx how are things on your end?"_ This time, it was Captain Eleanor addressing her.

"I may need you arrange for my life insurance Ma'am! These guys aren't letting up!" Alyx answered back, feeling a little panicked.

" _Hold out for just a little more! Our unit is almost done mopping up!"_ Eleanor instructs the young pilot.

"Gotcha! Don't take too long though! I mean, seriously!"

 _BANG! BANG!_

More gunfire rained towards the Zero who swiftly dodged to the left alley, avoiding what might've been a fatal strike to her Zoid.

"Man, this is endless! Zero! We'll never get anywhere with that trigger-happy duckling following us! Aim high and let's take it out!"

For a while, the Liger Zero looked confused at the girl's odd instructions. They were barricaded by buildings left and right. Finally, it all dawned on the Zoid.

 _ROOOOAAARRRR!_

The pursuing Chimeras finally reached last turn where they lost the Liger Zero—only to find that their prey had slip past their nets. The Zero was nowhere to be found. Sensors beeped and the visors turned but Scissorstorm and Laserstorm were unable to catch any further glimpse of the blue-eyed Liger.

 _BEEP BEEP BEEP_

Suddenly, the Zoids' onboard sensors flashed rapidly, informing the A.I unit of an approaching enemy. Surprisingly, it was coming from above them.

"Gagh! I've had enough of you trying to shower me with lead! Get them Zero!" From above, the Liger Zero roared as its legs and claws flashed with energy. Immediately, it dug its powerful claws into Scissorstorm's fragile frame, immediately severing the artificial core underneath. Laserstorm was quick to sense this and tried to turn to aim its gatling gun at the Liger Zero but Alyx's Zoid immediately pounced at the Chimera and seized its neck with its jaws.

"Yeah! That's what I'm talking about! Now turn it into Liger fodder!" Cheering, Alyx set on the motions of her Zoid's jaws, tightening its vice grip in an attempt to sever the Chimera's head. Laserstorm tried to break free by struggling and firing its gatling but was unable to hit Alyx as the Zero cautiously kept its distance.

 _BEEP BEEP_

This time, it was Alyx's turn to witness her sensors flashing. Diplo Guns and Flyscissors were just a few more meters away and were furiously closing in on her.

"Whew! Good thing we installed the new sensors, eh Zero?" Keeping the struggling Chimera in its mouth, Alyx's Zero walked forward to the intersection where the two Zoids were projected to arrive.

"Get a taste of your own medicine!" Once the two Zoids appeared on the road, the Zero swung the struggling Laserstorm around, directing its brutal gatling gun at their pursuers. The bullets shredded armor, components and finally, the Zoid cores, reducing Diplo Guns and Flyscissors into a pile of scrap. Having finished this, the Zero's jaws finally clamped down, severing Laserstorm's head from the rest of its body.

"Well that's enough brutality for now." Alyx could finally feel some relief. Scaling the empty buildings had proven to be a good call.

" _Very good Alyx. Rendezvous with our forces at point 7 immediately!"_

"Roger!" Turning around, Alyx proceeded to the next coordinate given in her marking orders. "Still, these Chime-somethings are turning out to be quite the skilled fighters."

" _They were only capable of following set combat instructions back then. Some even had a tendency to go berserk once triggered. Now the Empire's Chimera drones are even capable of executing sophisticated instructions. The artificial Zoid core is proving to be quite the remarkable innovation in this war."_

"Yeah. Too bad it's only used for warfare though. These drones can be quite useful in rehabilitating war-torn areas."

" _Actually, ZOITEC initially proposed the idea of using the artificial core for use in civilian work and construction. Apparently the proposal was rejected by Neo-Zenebas in favor of further development of the core as a military platform."_

"Is that why you've been receiving generous amounts of aid from ZOITEC?"

" _Let's just say both the Republic and ZOITEC share the same interests. Anyway, you're close to point 7 now. Stay alert!"_

"Roger!"

* * *

The Neo-Zenebas forces were routed a few minutes later. The Alexander suffered minimal damage to its forces as a result of a plan put in motion by Eleanor. A disruptive strike with a high-speed Zoid followed by a quick mopping up operation using the Gunbluster force. The Imperial forces never anticipated such a plan. Nonetheless, the Alexander chose not to dock at the ruined city out of precaution. Instead, the gargantuan Zoid landed near the rocky crags concealing an ancient temple a few miles west of the city.

"Alyx seems to have significantly improved." Eleanor remarked while overseeing repairs onboard the gigantic Zoid.

"Still rather reckless if you ask me. But yes, she seems to have improved." Kiminari chimes in. "Anyway Captain! We've been getting a lot of stuff on our plate suddenly!"

"Can't be helped. Now that Neo-Zenebas has gotten wind of the movement of our forces back at the east, we'll have to double our war efforts in order to pave the path for our main forces."

"When it rains, it pours eh? Well, we should get some new Zoids and fresh pilots at the very least. I don't think anyone's gotten some decent rest in the past couple of weeks. Heck, even the Kalanes hick's been staying up late!"

"True. But that'll all depend on our next mission assignments. Depending on how crucial those turn out to be, we may have to keep on persevering with what we have right now." Captain Eleanor sighed.

"Guess you just can't have it all huh?" Just as Kiminari was about to leave the room, a girl working for maintenance walks in.

"Captain, we've got a bit of bad news here." She hands Eleanor a couple of photographs showing the Alexander's left fin. "As you can see, the Magnesser's been busted."

"Damn! Must've happened during our aerial assault. How long will it take to get them back online? Given this place's close proximity to Zenebas territory, I reckon it won't take long before the palace catches wind of our activities here."

"Honestly, it might take a while. The oscillator needs replacing and we currently do not have available parts for it." The girl delivers with a grim expression.

"Can't we try limping it out of here? We managed to land just fine a couple of hours ago."

"No can do ma'am. Our landing earlier had already bent the engine out of shape as it is. Should we try flying away now—the whole fin might collapse from the stress."

"And right when I thought it couldn't possibly get worse…So, what are our options?" Eleanor asks.

"Well, we did a little digging and found that the town a quarter mile north from here has an extensive parts market run by local grave robbers. They currently have the parts we need on hand."

"Between here and there, it may take us a couple of days at least. That seems good enough. What's the catch?" Kiminari asked after considering the suggestion.

"Well, aside from the pricing—oh, I suppose it's no problem. Our biggest concern right now is this—" Immediately, the girl shows photographs of an Imperial Whale King docked in town. A Dark Spiner was stationed outside, bearing the faded crest of the old Guylos. "Empire's guarding this place tight."

"Well that's novel. That means we can't just waltz in there and take what we need…" Eleanor exclaims upon hearing the nature of the problem.

"So we need to enter the town undetected, buy the parts from the grave robbers and get out without triggering the Imperial patrol. Captain! In that case, I may have an idea…" Kiminari pitched in with a sly smile on his face.

* * *

On the opposite side of the ruined city where the Alexander docked was a bustling mercenary and merchant town in close proximity to the Zenebas border. A little further up north was the Hydrarchos, having docked near town in order to do repairs and resupply. Damages incurred from the battle in the Central Mountain Range was visible all over the Whale King's chassis and mechanics were running left and right in order to patch up most of it as quickly as possible.

The Zoids in the hangar were in a similar state. The Red Horn's guns needed replacing. The Sabre Tiger's internal circuitry had thawed out yet the Zoid suffers from reduced performance until the components are replaced. Sakura's loaned Zoid had some minor armor damage but otherwise remains relatively unscathed. Even Zhou was impressed.

"Gotta hand it to that girl. She knows how to take good care of you huh?" Zhou greets her white Geno Saurer which responded with a low growl. The other personnel on the other hand had gathered at the cantina for breakfast first.

"Good morning…" Sakura greeted as she enters the room, wiping away the last traces of sleep from her eyes as she makes her way to her friends.

"Look at that. Earlier, you were all gung-ho about working overtime but when your head hit the covers, you practically passed out!" Seral laughs as the younger pilot sat next to her.

"Shut up." Sakura groaned. "I didn't expect to pass out that long though. Must be the medicine." She turns to look at Vishna who just shrugged as she gives her a bowl of soup to eat. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

"I heard you took on a König Wolf by yourself." Sakura asks.

"Hah! Impressed?"

"Yes. Thank you Vishna." Sakura smiled at her friend. Her expression suddenly turned gloomy however upon recalling her failure to protect the excavation site.

"Again with the gloomy expression…" Vishna sighed.

"Don't be too hard on yourself Sakura. The operation was still a success you know?" Seral tries comforting the girl. "Tell you what, why don't you come with us?"

"Huh?"

"We're currently in a mercenary town. Captain wants us to pick up some parts we ordered for the repairs of the Red Horn and Sabre Tiger." Vishna explains. "And then, we can chill out~"

"But what about the Hydrarchos?" Sakura asks. "If all three of us leave then who'll guard it?"

"Captain said he would. He's already gone out with the Dark Spiner an hour ago." Seral explained.

"Yep. And no idiot would dare pick a fight with a Dark Spiner right now." Vishna added.

"I guess." Sakura leaps up to her feet. "I don't mind. I wanted to stretch my legs as well."

"That's the spirit!" Seral laughs, wrapping an arm around Sakura's shoulder. "Don't worry, it's going to be fun~"

* * *

The day progressed slowly. Morning gave way to the high noon and businesses soon slowed down as people sought refuge from the heat, engaging in various recreational activities. Some played board games, others tuned in to sports. Some were drinking while some were placing bets. Zoid Battles was a new craze that swept through town; an influence of the Eastern Continent entertainment. People from all over came to see the matches held in grand arenas.

" _And we're back Blue City! Today's match is rather exciting as Storm Crusher tries to defend the title from Cancer Blade, a new upstart hailing from abroad. Storm Crusher currently has the advantage with his souped-up Iron Kong—man! That must've cost quite a fortune to equip! On the other hand, Cancer Blade would try to even the odds with his Leostriker! Relatively small Zoid but rather feisty for its size. But the biggest question now is: Would we see a historical David beats Goliath scenario?! Or would the armed titan trample down his opponent?! There's only one way to find out!"_

"Well duh! Is this even a contest?" One of the spectators grunted as his attention turned away from the screen. "Just change the channel! It's pretty obvious who's going to win!"

"Hey, you don't own this pub! You're just ripping off the free TV anyway!" Another patron tries to tell him off.

"Can't even get some peace and quiet eh?" Alyx exclaimed upon seeing the commotion. She was seated near the counter, having ordered a glass of cold tea which she took occasional sips from as her eyes watched the battle unfolding on the TV. The Iron Kong was taking the lead, firing shot after shot which its smaller adversary narrowly dodged.

" _Anyway, damn that Kiminari for making me go all the way out here to get the parts we need—!"_ Alyx silently cursed the head mechanic in her mind. As she wasn't considered part of the regular army, she had been delegated to go on the mission on their behalf. Apparently, her provincial background makes her blend in with the locals nicely. "Ughh…what a slave driver…"

"Are you the chick looking for an oscillator?" A burly looking man approached Alyx's table, setting a navy-blue bag on it.

"Yeah." Alyx replied, immediately finishing her tea and setting her glass aside. "That would be me."

"So you're Alyx huh? Don told me all about you. I'm Law, the one who owns the parts shop?" The burly man introduced himself, extending a hand to Alyx as he did.

"Ah yeah…Law's Parts right. Well, nice to meet you~" Likewise, Alyx took his hand, accepting the gesture.

"I have to admit, you're much cuter and prettier than I expected." Law attempts to flatter the young Kalanes girl. "Was expecting an old, greased-up mechanic to meet me."

"Heh! I may not look like it but I am a mechanic too. So, I take it that you have the parts I ordered?"

"Yeah, I have one sitting around in the back of my shop. But, you're quite a slender creature and it's quite big so…" Law checks out Alyx from head to toe. "Why don't you give me the name of the place where you want it? I'll deliver it for you."

"Oh, no problem! I've got a truck parked out front." Alyx assures Law. She couldn't risk giving away the Alexander's position.

"Wow, you've really got it covered eh? Let's go then. Swing your truck around my shop and pick up the parts you need." Law urges her on.

"Let's go." Having paid for her drink, Alyx turns to follow the man to his shop.

Law's Parts was just a stone's throw away from the pub Alyx was hanging out at a few minutes ago. She had to maneuver the truck around the narrow streets into the back of the warehouse in order to pick up the part she needed. A couple of assistants fastened the oscillator to the back while Alyx made small talk all throughout.

"That's a rather tall order though—and in such a short notice too. Tell me, what are you going to use this for? Got a broken Salamander chilling in the back of your house or something?" Law asked.

"Nah, it's for a small project I was planning. It's a solar plane of sorts." Alyx explained, again not revealing anything about the Alexander to the rather sketchy salesman.

"A plane huh? Well, good luck on your project then. Let me know if you need anything else. Hey, pub's running a special on their drinks later this evening. You want to come along?" Law invites her.

"Hmm…Well, I really need to get going. It's late, and I still have a long way to drive. Oh, here's the amount I promised." Alyx takes out the card loaned to her by Eleanor.

"Alright." Law takes the card and brings it inside the store for a moment. Alyx watched for a while, wondering if Law somehow deduces that the card belongs to someone in the Republican army and was now looking for Imperial contacts to sell the information to. To her relief though, Law emerges after just a few minutes.

"Here you go. You can double check if you want but I assure you, we don't do shady business here."

"Well, don't mind me if I do~" Alyx chimed in as she checks the contents on the account. "Uhh…You charged wrong, mister."

"Nah, I decided to give you a little discount. Just for being so cute and accommodating to people like us." Law admits with a smile.

"A…hahaha…right! Well then, I'll be off!" Feeling slightly creeped out by how nice Law was being to her, Alyx politely makes her excuses so she could leave. Hopping into the driver's seat, she tries to start the truck but—

"Huh? It's not working?" Alyx exclaimed when she realised that try as she might, she couldn't get the truck to start. Alighting from the vehicle, she walked all the way to the front in order to check the engine. Opening the hood only served to let out a thick cloud of smoke covering the engine, causing Alyx to back away coughing.

"Hehe…guess you'll be staying tonight then?"

"Guess you're right~" Alyx sheepishly admits defeat.

"It'll only be a while! Don't worry! I'll get my boys to fix this real quick free of charge!" Law assures her.

"How about you just take the payments for the repairs from the discount you gave me? Anymore charity on your part and I'll start to get suspicious!"

"Hahaha! Okay, let's do that. Come on, let's hit the pub!"

* * *

Evening slowly rolled in the ruined city. The setting sun started to cast weird shadows along the forgotten city but for the nearby town, life was just starting. Soon, the streets would be strung with artificial lights and the honest workers would come rolling in the pubs and taverns, looking for a quick round of merry-making. Boisterous laughter erupted from all around, drowning out all other sounds coming from the establishment.

"Ugh! It's so noisy here as well!" Vishna immediately backs away from one of the pubs they checked out. The Remnant trio was decked in fitting civilian clothes allowing them to blend in easier. No one could immediately suspect they were soldiers. Vishna however, does stand out a bit due to her heritage which was based on Nyx.

"What do you expect, fine atmosphere? It's a pub Vishna, not a five-star restaurant." Seral counters.

"What I mean is, it's too noisy even for pub standards!"

"Wow! So, you've been to a quiet pub? Tell me where it is and I'll give you a free drink."

"What's with the sarcasm? I only said it was noisy!"

"You've been complaining since we got here!"

"Girls!" Sakura tries to cut in between the bickering. "Can't you settle down?"

"She started it!" The two replied almost in unison.

"Ahahaha…" Sakura could only give a nervous chuckle. "Anyway, that are they clamoring over?" She wondered as her two companions continued bickering. Seeing that she won't be able to interfere with the two anyway, Sakura walked towards the dimly-lit establishment, forcing her way past other partygoers and patrons. On the center of the screen was a huge TV showing a fight between a Gun Sniper and a Rev Raptor. A classic revolver duel was fought between the two Zoids as the flat and enclosed area made it difficult for the Gun Sniper to utilize its sniper rifle.

"A little program cooked up by those eggheads from the Eastern Continent. Kind of like those brawls between martial artists you see on TV a few years ago but with Zoids." Seral suddenly piped in, having followed Sakura inside.

"They're using live ammunition…Do they fight until death?" Sakura wondered.

"I don't know. Word is that they've been developing weapons and ammo just for this kind of event." Seral explained. "I think it just induces a system freeze instead of outright killing the Zoid."

"Then those Zoids are weaker than what we have to face here…" Sakura sighed and walked away, leaving her friends to their devices.

"You're not going to stay and watch?" Seral asked. "It actually looks pretty impressive."

"No. We face that kind of thing every day after all." Sakura answered back with a soft smile. "Besides, it is a little noisy for me. I just want to get some fresh air."

"Alright. Take care of yourself." Seral nodded as she and Vishna sat down at the bar to get some drinks.

"My bet is that the Gun Sniper's going to win." Vishna starts.

"Oh? And why is that my friend and cohort?" Seral urges her on.

"Just a hunch."

"Alright. From the looks of it however, I think the Rev Raptor's going to win this one."

"How do you know miss smarty-pants?"

"Just a hunch."

Vishna narrows her gaze to meet Seral's. Seral just gives her a sly smile. "Pick up the tab if I win?"

"Deal."

* * *

Away from the bustling city pub, there were less sources of entertainment. The way the buildings looked told Sakura that this town probably dated back to the days of the old war. Damage from the seasons and the battles were very much visible and almost half of the buildings seemed to be on the verge of crumbling. Nevertheless, people stayed. To them, this land was their home and they were much more willing to stay and tough things out rather than search for greener pastures somewhere else. The thought made Sakura doubt herself a little. Back at the orphanage, all she wanted was to get out. She didn't think about wanting to make a life for herself back at Kalanes like Alyx did.

"That was terrible…Pub's special my ass!"

Turning around, Sakura's eyes narrowed on a girl hunched over a wall in a dark alley. Apparently, she was throwing up whatever concoction she drank in that shady pub. As the girl was in close proximity to her, Sakura offered assistance by presenting her with her own handkerchief.

"Here, use this."

"Thanks." The other girl thanked her and immediately used it. As she finishes, the girl looked up to return the item to its owner and was visibly surprised when she recognized Sakura's face. Likewise, Sakura also recognized the girl.

"Alyx…"

"Sakura…"

For a while, the two of them were unable to speak. The situation felt so unreal at that time. Not too long ago, they had just attempted to take each other down in their respective Zoids. Both still bore wounds for being on opposing sides of the fence. Spotting a stone bench just beside the empty building left of the pub, the two wordlessly walked over there to sit down. After a short moment of silence though, Sakura was able to find her voice again.

"I wasn't expecting to find you here." Sakura spoke up first.

"Likewise…" Alyx replied, sharing her old friend's sentiments. Despite being acquaintances, the two found it difficult to keep a conversation going. Alyx could only scratch her head at the awkward silence that enveloped them.

"So uhh…" Sakura starts. "What happened to you?"

"Pub's special was apparently not so special. It tastes like sewer water!" Alyx sighed. "Shouldn't have taken up that offer."

"Their specials are usually just there to entice people to spend and get drunk quick. It's not really gourmet stuff if that's what you're looking for." Sakura explained with a light chuckle.

"Really? I should have known."

"Heehee~" Sakura giggled. Alyx rises up to her feet, dusting off the sand that got into her cloak and stood beside her old friend. She turned to face Sakura and smiled.

"I'm glad to see you again Sakura."

Sakura just nodded. "Do you—hate me? You said some pretty mean things back at Mount Cybele."

"If I hated you, I would've brushed you aside earlier. Of course, I don't." Alyx explained. "If I have to put it in words though…yeah, that's it. I guess I was just frustrated. And possibly even jealous."

"Frustrated? Jealous? What do you mean?"

"Well I mean, you got adopted. You got out. And into a loving family as well based from what I heard from you. You fought fiercely when you mentioned them. I can see that you're very close." Alyx explained.

"Yeah. I still think about them from time to time."

"Then you come back as a genius Zoids pilot. You were very strong. If Alta didn't come around to save my ass, I probably would've died." Alyx sighed.

"I wasn't trying to kill you back there." Sakura clarifies. "I was just trying to make my point I guess?"

"Really? Well that makes me even more depressed."

"Hmm? Why?"

"You were holding back while I was fighting as hard as I can. You kind of have an unfair advantage over me in that regard." Alyx chuckled. "You're really amazing Sakura."

"N-not really…" Sakura replied sheepishly. "I still struggle with speaking a lot and my colleagues say I tend to be too hard on myself. And I freeze up whenever I try to use my Zoid's particle cannon. I don't know. I get horrible flashbacks of that day whenever I try."

"You weren't even intending to use your trump card? Man, talk about heaven and earth!" Alyx started but noticed that Sakura had gone unusually quiet. _"Right, she was there. She was there when the capital fell. It probably scarred her for life."_

"Well, you're not alone in that regard." Alyx nudges her old friend with her elbow. "First time I piloted a Shield Liger, I went full speed for five minutes before puking and passing out hahaha!"

"You still have a lot to learn then. I can teach you but—" Sakura sighed. Their current situation hits the both of them back full force. Alyx notices this and just gives her a sad smile.

"Things aren't that simple anymore huh?"

"Yeah." Sakura replied. "Don't you get lonely over there?"

"Not really. Surprisingly, I was still able to make some friends." Alyx answered back, taking care not to disclose anything too damning about her new allies.

"Same on my end. At first it was very tough for me at the academy. I mean, you know me. I'm very shy and timid. But I managed to still make friends. Now I'm not so lonely anymore."

"That's a relief." Alyx sighed contentedly. "You have someone looking out for you at least. I was worried. I mean, you look like you haven't slept in two weeks!"

"You think so too?" Sakura giggled. "Vishna and Seral also said the same thing."

"Vishna and Seral?"

"My friends."

"Hey, Sakura! Where the hell have you been?!" A rather rough sounding voice called out to her old friend. Alyx turned to look at who it was and saw the same Sabre Tiger pilot she met in Kalanes a while ago. Apparently, the two knew each other. She immediately raised her hood up to avoid detection.

"Just getting some fresh air." Sakura answered back, eyeing the food boxes Vishna carried in her hand. "What are those?"

"Hmm? Oh, it's some food me and Seral picked up. We couldn't find you anywhere so we went ahead and ordered for you. Hope you're craving for some eel."

"You better believe it." Sakura nodded and turned back to Alyx, who had already started walking away.

"Goodbye Imperial soldier! Thanks for the assistance earlier." Alyx waved back without stopping.

"Right. Good night!" Sakura calls out.

" _I hope I don't see you on the battlefield next time."_ The two girls thought as they went their respective ways with Alyx returning to the outskirts and Sakura staying behind a bit with her friends. Strangely enough, even when they saw themselves on opposite sides, the two girls parted like they would when they were still little back in Kalanes.

* * *

 **Writer's Note:** Chapter 13 is up! Nothing too special. Just a small breather chapter for my characters~


	15. Chapter 14 - The Gathering Storm

_(Disclaimer: I do not own the Zoids franchise. Copyright goes to Tomy for making this fantastic series. All I own are this story, its characters and some concept Zoids that might appear.)_

 **Zoids: Lost Eden**

 **Chapter 14: The Gathering Storm**

* * *

Upon returning to the Hydrarchos, the three girls were immediately welcomed in by Captain Ash, notifying them of a transmission from their masked leader.

" _The Hydrarchos is to supplant the forces attacking in the east. From the scout's reports, we predict that the bulk of their forces would be landing in Akua Harbour. Take them out before they can land and we eliminate the last traces of the Republican Army on this continent."_ The masked man gives an eerie grin.

"And what of the Empire? I do not think Muroa will simply let us slide after that failure in Mount Cybele." Captain Ash brings the matter up.

" _Indeed. He has already sent his dogs to keep a closer watch on me now. But this is a minor setback. The continent is huge. Zenebas barely has enough to defend every encampment. In a way, I have to thank the Republic. They've done well to throw Zenebas off our scent for so long."_ The Viscount smiled. _"It won't be long before the cracks in the Emperor's rule starts to widen."_

The two commanders continued to discuss their formation and the composition of the army they'll be using as the three girls listened in attentively on the side. Despite this, Sakura notices something odd which she lets slip in a hushed murmur.

"I don't understand…"

"Did you say something?" The remark caught the attention of Seral who immediately turns to face her.

"Wouldn't the Republic landing be beneficial for us? Wasn't the goal to tire both forces out before taking over? In that case, why—" Sakura wonders but Vishna immediately cut in.

"The Viscount's loyalty is being tested it seems. Perhaps this is merely a show of strength to force the Empire to turn a blind eye on us again. We can always wait it out but if we do that, both the Retaliation Force and the Neo-Zenebas army would be looking for us. Not a lot of places to hide either." Vishna explained.

"Wow. You said something smart for once." Seral teased. Vishna just glared at their older comrade.

"I still feel uneasy about this." Sakura sighed. "Almost like I'm just a pawn in some grand game." As if on cue, the masked man seems to have caught on to this feeling as he immediately turns to the young pilot.

" _You appear to have misgivings about my plan Lieutenant."_ He asks.

"A-ah! N-no sir! I-I'm probably just tired from the previous missions." Sakura immediately explains.

" _I suppose facing a renewed Republican defence force is a daunting prospect. Still, even the Republic has to split its forces. They are poking for cracks in the walls so to speak. I trust they won't be able to get through from the East if you will be the ones to guard it."_ The Viscount reassures her.

"No sir, they won't." Sakura replied with resolution.

"There is the possibility of them slipping through somewhere else." Captain Ash reminded them but the Viscount just smiled.

" _Then that is Zenebas' failure, not ours. You do not have to worry about that Captain. Concentrate on your charge and let them deal with the others. It would be a shame if Kimmel were to perish while defending the territories in the north…"_

Upon hearing this small detail however, Captain Ash perked up. "The north? Why? Are we expecting something from that direction?" He shoots the Viscount an accusing glance. The masked man knew very well why. Nonetheless, he just gave him a smile.

" _All in good time Captain. All in good time…"_ He muttered before transmissions cut off, leaving Ash alone with his own soldiers.

"Is something coming from back home?" Ash muttered to himself. "Why aren't we assigned to secure that front then? If we really are expecting reinforcements from the Dark Continent then it would be easier if we can meet up with them directly."

"The Emperor might find it all the more suspicious if we volunteered to defend those territories. They'll know something is up." Seral tried to come up with an explanation.

"I don't know. If only we have a way to contact the continent, everything would be clearer. What we should be striving for—fighting for!" Ash grits his teeth.

"Hasn't the Viscount led us all this far? Is there any reason to doubt him now?" Seral asked. "He's kept us alive so far."

"Well…he did send us all on a wild goose chase over a single Zoid." Vishna voiced out. "And he seems to be a little distant as of late. And then there was Mount Cybele of course."

"Didn't he stay behind to buy us time though?" Sakura piped up.

"Yes. But he did request you to stay behind while the rest of us moved on. Almost looked like he was trying to get rid of you if you ask me." Vishna explains.

"His own knights probably had something to do with it. They really seem to hate us after all." Seral added.

"No, I don't think that's it." Ash dismisses the thought. "Besides, even if his lackeys loathe your existence, the Viscount himself seems to like you Sakura and not just as a soldier I mean."

Sakura felt slightly flattered and bothered at the same time. The Viscount after all, was at least twice her age.

"I still don't like this Captain." Vishna sighed.

"I don't either." Captain Ash likewise sighed. "Return to your duties for now. I need to have a word with Zhou."

"Aye Captain!"

The three girls immediately made their way back downstairs to help with the final tuning of their respective Zoids. With the girls gone, Gregory Ash descends to the main laboratory to meet with the eccentric scientist.

* * *

"No good, this one's vacated too." Janus sighed. As per Naruse's investigation into the seized documents from Mount Cybele, the Retaliation Force has acted upon the Viscount's other hidden bases. Itsuki predicted that he will at least change the locations of these but he didn't expect them to move this fast.

"And here I was thinking that maybe we could hit at least three locations before they move out." Itsuki muttered, his white Blade Liger surveying what is left of an abandoned warehouse and research facility.

"From the looks of it, the base seemed to have been vacated in a hurry. That makes this what-? The second base we've hit?" Alta asked.

"Third. At this point, I'm inclined to believe that he got one on us." Itsuki replied. "Bastard moves fast."

"This doesn't make sense." Naruse muttered from behind Itsuki's seat in the cockpit. She had been given a laptop to work with so she could continue decoding the retrieved data even while she's inside the Blade Liger. "If the Viscount really pulled out all of his forces, Emperor Muroa will figure something's up. Zenebas will take notice for sure."

"I've fought the Viscount before. He won't hesitate to risk his allies if he feels that it would win him the war." Itsuki interjected.

"I know him and even for him, this is way too risky."

"Sir!" Rio reports in; the other Blade Liger and the Dibison had returned from a scouting mission on the west side. "We only found tracks belonging to an array of different Zoids further down the desert. Sand has erased most of them however. Trail is dead."

"I see." Itsuki noted. "We should probably head to the other base. Our next target would be—"

"Wait! I'm receiving a transmission from Ms. Eleanor." Alta calls their attention. She hooks up the communications panel of all five Zoids through her Wolf's headgear.

" _Good evening Lieutenant. Good work on the battle at the Central Mountains."_ Eleanor greeted the battle group.

"Thank you. However, we have something much more concerning. As you can see—"

" _The Viscount's bases have all been deserted yes. That is the matter I needed to discuss with you. Take a look at this—"_ With a flick of her fingers, Eleanor showed them aerial images of a large force of Zoids assembling a few miles out of Akua Harbour. The battle group's expression turned grim at the sight. Over five hundred Zoids have been assembled seemingly in preparation for something big.

"They're planning to intercept our landing forces huh? Come to think of it, the army is about to return in a few days."

" _Yes. The Alexander is to reinforce the meager defensive line we were able to scrap up to defend the harbor. Command has decided to split our landing forces. The bulk of them will be arriving from the east but we are able to split our battle groups and launch a diversion further up north thanks to our new unlikely ally."_ Eleanor explained.

"And who is this new ally?" Itsuki asked. Eleanor paused for a bit before turning to look at Naruse.

" _This ally is…the Guylos Empire."_

Naruse's eyes grew wide as saucers upon hearing the old name. "The Guylos Empire…survived?"

" _Elements of its government and military brass and soldiers managed to retreat to the East and Dark continents. Communications however, are sorely limited thanks to Zenebas' jamming net so it was only when our top brass was able to evacuate to the east did things move to the negotiating table."_ Eleanor looks at Naruse directly. _"Emperor Rudolph himself has survived Valhalla it seems."_

"This is an interesting development." Alta muttered. "Wasn't your side fighting so Guylos could usurp the throne for themselves again?"

"I-I don't know what to think anymore." Naruse sank back. "Then what has the Viscount been fighting for this entire time?"

"I don't know. Nonetheless, this just means that the Viscount's actions are no longer representing the 'will of Guylos'. Our mission of fighting them still hasn't changed." Itsuki tries to shake off any remaining feeling of uncertainty within the young girl.

"Plus, the Dark Spiner jamming network prevented even us from contacting our allies in the East." Alta added. "That man probably took advantage of the current situation to rally the Guylos stragglers to his side."

"Probably." Naruse nods, staring the soldier straight in the eye. "So, what about me?"

"What about you?" Itsuki asks.

"With this recent development surely, your concerns of a possible Guylos uprising are quelled by now. At this point, I have nothing more to offer your side."

" _This may be an alliance but it is still a rather shaky one. Ms. Naruse, the citizens of this land are very wary of your Empire. The wounds we bore fighting in that war runs deep and the damage done to our homes were very extensive. It will be a long time before the two sides can fully live in peace side by side."_ Eleanor explains.

"Yep. Lots of talks, meetings and paperwork. Possibly standoffs with giant Zoids haha!" Janus laughs to himself catching the attention of his two superiors. "A-Ah! Well…sorry."

" _In any case, that's the situation we now find ourselves in."_ Eleanor slinks back to her chair. _"Return to us Lieutenant. We will need your strength in this coming battle."_

"Yes ma'am!" Itsuki replied. Eleanor gives him a smile and the transmission cuts off. Immediately, Rio turns to her colleague.

"Do not do that again!" She warns Janus sternly.

"Ahahaha…sorry."

"Thank you for not just disposing of me Lieutenant." Naruse sighs in relief. "I'm sorry I'm not able to be of much help anymore."

"I made a promise to your friend back in that mountain. I gave her my word." Itsuki assures the young girl. "Should we make it out alive in the coming battle, you should probably move to the Eastern Continent. You're a capable girl. I'm sure you can arrange that through your Empire."

"Hmm…" Naruse thought to herself. "Perhaps I should visit my family too."

"Perhaps." Itsuki nods before turning his attention back on his battle group. The four were now chatting amongst themselves over small matters.

"Defending the landing forces huh? Cool~ We get to be heroes!" Janus muttered, all pumped up and ready to go.

"How can you be excited at a time like this?" Kiro sighed. "I'm a little worried about the outcome."

"Me too. Ha…Hahaha! My boots are shaking." Rio added.

"Personally, I've always wanted to see a Gojulas Giga up close!" Janus piped up. "That thing's one sweet fighting machine! Hey Kiro? Want to see who can shoot down the most Zoids between us?"

"At a time like this?" Kiro looks at his ally quizzically before breaking into a small smile. "Sure. I can take you on!"

"Guys…" Rio tries to reason with them but decides against it. "Alright, I'm in. I hope you don't make it too easy for me boys!"

"In your dreams Rio!"

Alta just chuckled at their conversation before turning back to their group's leader. "Too energetic for your taste?"

"Nah, they're young. It's healthy for them to be like this." Itsuki chuckled. He turns to face his group. "We have our orders. Finish all your preparations in five minutes. Then we make for Akua Harbor. Move!"

"Sir, yes sir!" Came an enthusiastic chorus.

* * *

In the meantime, hidden in the depths of the southernmost part of the central mountain range, the Dragoon Nest lay waiting, having just finished transmissions with the Hydrarchos. Both the Zero X and the Warshark were making their rounds; the Warshark covering a wider range due to its ability to tunnel underground. Inside, the Viscount stood by, his face calm as he finishes addressing the troops he was sending over to Akua Harbor.

"You've grown quite fond of that girl my lord." Alexei brings up just as the masked man closes the communications panel.

"Heh! Probably."

" _Tch!"_ Alexei feels a small anger rising up within him but nonetheless, he tries to keep his cool. The Viscount senses this however.

"What's the matter Alexei? You seem troubled."

"Nothing of any concern sir. Just...frustrated at failing you up in the mountains." Alexei tries to deflect the issue. "And of course, losing my Zoid."

"Haha! I see. Hmm…" The Viscount walks over to the glass pane overlooking one of the Dragoon's hangars. "Take the Fire Fox in the meantime. It's doing no good just sitting there."

"The Fox?!" Alexei suddenly shot back, his voice betraying the irritation he felt. "To use a Zoid produced by that lowly Republic—!"

"—is a prudent course of action given that it's performance is quite high and you have no Zoid that you can use right now. Why? Are you questioning my orders Alexei?" The Viscount suddenly turns to face him. Despite his mask concealing his face, Alexei could feel an intimidating presence and a sharp stare directed at him.

"If that is your will sir. Forgive me. I spoke out of line." Alexei bows down, taking care to keep his head low.

"Good. Caitlyn's shift is almost over. Take over hers."

"Yes sir!" Alexei replies before excusing himself. Along the way, he encounters Reynard waiting by the door.

"You look like a girl rejected by her lover Alexei." Reynard teased.

"Shut up!" The knight gives his colleague a sharp nudge with his shoulder before walking down the halls. Reynard just chuckled upon seeing the arrogant knight looking so irritated. With Alexei gone, it was now Reynard's turn to enter the room.

"Is this professional jealousy I'm seeing here? Or is it something else eh, Masky?" Reynard casually strolls in. Unlike the others, he has no qualms about addressing the Viscount so informally, being a mercenary rather than a soldier under his command. The Viscount just turns to him with a smile.

"A bit of both perhaps."

"From what I can see, it almost seemed like you were deliberately trying to get on his nerves." Reynard chuckled. "Is that any way to treat someone who likes you?"

"I do not know what you're talking about." The masked man chuckles.

"Figures. I suppose I can assume that your taste is for someone far…younger?" The mercenary eyes him suspiciously.

"Nothing malicious I assure you. Younger pilots are rather impressionable and passionate. Convince them to rally behind a cause and they take it close to heart. This makes them better fighters and in turn, better soldiers." The Viscount explains, pausing to take a sip of liquor by his table. "Not that I expect a mercenary to understand."

"Of course not. Battles are just about precision and control to me. Chamber the right rounds and use the right timing. Kill before you get killed." Reynard clarifies his stance.

"Normally. When Zoids are involved however, the more passion one has, the better her partner responds." The Viscount suddenly turns to Reynard. "Would you like to give it a try? Me and my partner against you?"

"Sure. But then who's going to sign my paycheck once I'm through with you I wonder?" Reynard shoots back with an arrogant grin.

"Heh!" The Viscount rises up from his seat, walking past Reynard to face the glass panels again. "Regarding the matter with Alexei's concerns, I personally don't see anything wrong with wanting to add another person to the team. The Republic is on the move. They will come from the north and from the east. Ash is already suspecting something. I don't expect that bumbling oaf Kimmel to defend the northern areas for long either."

"Haha! And when the Republic returns, well—" A tray of mints catches the mercenary's attention inside the Viscount's personal quarters. He picks one up to eat. "I don't think they'll follow your leadership for too long."

"That's why I have to move now if I am to get away with my intended prize." Turning to Reynard, the Viscount hands him what appears to be a component of sorts.

"This is?"

"Additional updates to the Organoid System. Zhou told me she needed that to start up the antiques we found in the mountain. I believe she'll also install it on the Lieutenant's upgraded Zoid as well." The Viscount explained. "Deliver this component to them then come back as soon as possible."

"Organoid System huh…Very well." Taking the device in hand, Reynard exits the room. Just a few minutes later, the sounds of the Lightning Saix taking off can be heard from within the mobile base. The mercenary was arrogant for sure but he is quick to get the job done.

* * *

"Hydrarchos landing. Vacate the strip!" The voice of a flight controller resounded across a large Imperial base as the science vessel docks alongside similar Zoids in the landing strip. Two days have passed since their small stop at the grave robber's town. Most of the Viscount's assembled army had already arrived by now.

"I-Impressive…" Vishna was stunned upon seeing their allies all gathered in one place. Molgas, Merdas, Iguans and Heldigunners make up a huge bulk of the force, all armed with an assortment of guns and missile launchers; the new standardized equipment sticking out like a sore thumb in contrast with the obsolete Zoids. "I've never participated in battle with an army this huge!"

"That's not all." Seral points to a dark shadow looming on the ground. Multitudes of aerial Zoids were converging at the base. Saicurtis and Zabats formed the bulk of the air force supplemented by several handfuls of Redlers sporting different accessories and equipment. The rumbling of the larger Red Horns and Saber Tigers can be heard as well. From the top of the observation deck, Ash can see at least twenty Iron Kongs tucked neatly in the warehouses.

The Remnant force managed to gather over five hundred Zoids in preparation for the attack. It was an impressive sight for sure but the Zoid central to the operation were the antiques excavated from the Central Mountain Range. The Hydrarchos' hangar opened and the first of the three antiques descended on the ground; multiple legs propelling its movement as a long, particle cannon equipped tail dragged behind.

"Death Stingers. Three of them to boot." Sakura felt a shiver upon seeing the infamous scorpion Zoids. Scenes of Valhalla in flames suddenly flashed in her mind.

"Guess this is what Masky meant when he told us to get them while they're still in the water." Seral exclaimed.

"If we can get them in the water of course." Vishna grumbled, a little uncertain about the mission.

"Relax. What's their measly force going to do against three Death Stingers?" Seral argued.

"The Liger Zero…" Sakura muttered to herself as she remembered her friend.

"Liger Zero? Bah, big deal. That rookie pilot's outnumbered three to one. We'll win this for sure." The older girl assures her.

"It will be easier if they'll just surrender but—" Their location gives them a small view of the sea so Sakura turns to that direction. "They'll probably fight harder now. To them, hope is coming in from those waters after all."

"Make way! Make way!" The chief of maintenance orders the equipment to be cleared from the pathway as Reynard's Lightning Saix came barrelling down the base. The swift Zoid shifted a bit before bending downwards so the pilot can alight. Immediately, he makes his way towards the science vessel.

"Delivery for Ms. Zhou Byakuiei, courtesy of the Viscount." The mercenary announced, calling the attention of the vessel's crew.

"Ah! I was wondering when it would arrive." The eccentric scientist leaps down from one of the maintenance platforms, managing to land just right, surprising onlookers. "You sure live up to your reputation for speed Mr. Ein."

"A mere sprint like this is easy for me and the Lightning Saix." Reynard grins. Having handed the component, he turns to face the young pilot who has caught their leader's attention. "Ms. Nagisa eh? This component is for your upgraded Zoid as well."

"Alright! I better get to work." Zhou turns to the mercenary knight. "Any more orders from the Viscount?"

"Yes." Reynard turns to the Death Stingers. "That black one, it's missing its Charged Particle Cannon correct?"

"An intentional design choice apparently. It's called the Stealth Stinger. It has reinforced armor and black ferrite coating for Stealth Operations. In place of the cannon, this thing is outfitted with powerful laser scissors." The eccentric scientist explained.

"The one used by Genius Deldaros huh?"

"The exact same one, yes." Zhou confirms. "Fixing them was easy—I could do it with my eyes closed. Restoring their combat motivation however, will require this." She holds up the component delivered by Reynard.

"I see." The mercenary now turns back to the three girls. "The Viscount has assigned Ms. Seral Dias to pilot the Stealth Stinger. You will be placed on the vanguard force and strike directly in front of the base while the remaining Stingers are to try to attack from the sides."

"Alright!" Seral nearly jumps up in excitement. A Stealth Stinger was a major upgrade from her Red Horn after all.

"Isn't it dangerous?" Sakura asks.

"Don't worry! This baby's got armor as thick as your skull. Besides, what can they do against a Stealth Stinger?" Seral reassures them.

"Don't I get one of the Death Stingers?" Vishna asks in a joking manner.

"I haven't gotten any orders regarding that. Of course, nobody's stopping you from jumping in one when no one's looking." Reynard shoots back with a sly grin, going along with the joke. "Shoot the intended pilot in the back if you want."

"Nah, I'll stick to my Sabre Tiger." Vishna sighs. "Baby's been with me through thick and thin already."

"What about me?" Sakura asks.

"Ah yes. You are to remain here and guard the Hydrarchos."

"What?!" Needless to say, Sakura was shocked by the order. "B-But, I can still fight on the front lines with Ms. Zhou's Geno Saurer!"

"This is going to be a big battle Ms. Nagisa." The mercenary explains. "We cannot overlook the possibility of the enemy attacking this science vessel."

Sakura felt a surge of frustration well up within her. She was being left out of the equation again for reasons she doesn't understand. Deep inside, though she may not have the spine to say it out loud, she's always thought she was a better pilot than either of her friends. Nonetheless, she decided to just keep quiet about it.

"Understood sir."

"Don't look too glum. If the initial assault fails, they'll probably call on you to take off." The mercenary assures her with a tap on her shoulder. "Well I've stayed long enough. I need to return soon. Do you have any more questions?"

"I do." The old husky voice of Gregory Ash cuts through the hangar. "I would like to know what role would the Remnant Knights be playing in this coming battle. Where is the Viscount stationing your unit?"

The mercenary looks Ash straight in the eye. "The Dragoon Nest has been ordered to maintain their position near the central mountain range, retaining our tactical flexibility should things go bad on either the eastern or northern fronts. That's all." Reynard promptly answered back.

"I see." Captain Ash looked to be deep in thought. "That's all for now."

"Very well. Good hunting Captain." And with that, the Lightning Saix leaves the encampment.

"He seems nice. Not like Arlene and Alexei." Vishna noted.

"Eh? What, you crushing on him or something?" Seral teases.

"Nothing. Just found it odd."

"Zhou, how long will it take until you can get the Lieutenant's Zoid ready?" Ash turns to the eccentric scientist.

"I think I can finish everything tomorrow afternoon. Updating the Death Stingers takes priority after all." The woman replied.

"Indeed." Captain Ash nodded, seemingly satisfied with the progress. "You heard that Lieutenant. You and I are to remain here. On the off chance the Republic manages to push us back, we deploy. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir!" Sakura responds.

"Don't worry." Seral assures her, turning her gaze to the massive army they have accumulated. "The harbour will be ours by noon."

In just a few hours, the entire army was assembled and Ash descended down with his Dark Spiner, briefing the rest of the soldiers about the plan; how to strike and which positions to take up. This leaves the Hydrarchos relatively empty save for Zhou and her team of mechanics and scientists working on the Stealth Stinger. From the top of the walkway, Sakura stares down at her new Zoid. No work was currently being done on it as the Stealth Stinger took priority. Nonetheless, it was at the very least, ninety percent complete and the glint of sharp swords eerily caught the overhead lights.

"I hope they finish you up by tomorrow…" She muttered.

"You seem to be excited to head out tomorrow." Seral surprises her by suddenly calling out from the dark. She looks at her younger comrade with a knowing smile.

"We used to be friends back then. I—" Sakura tries to explain but Seral could tell what's on her mind.

"You want to be the one to fight her. I know how good you fight Sakura. You can probably disable her without killing her." Seral steps over until she was level with the younger pilot. "Too bad things don't work out the way you want them to huh?"

"It never does." Sakura just sighed.

"If I end up facing her—the pilot of the blue-eyed Liger Zero, I won't hold back. I will seize victory at all costs." Seral's voice takes on a more serious and darker tone. "I'll kill her if she gets in my way."

"Seral—!"

"So…I'm apologizing in advance. Think of it this way. I'm killing her so you don't have to." Seral taps Sakura on the back as she turns to leave. "My Stealth Stinger's adjustments are almost complete. I'll be going now. See you on the battlefield."

Now left alone, the heaviness of the current situation started to hit Sakura in full force. Her knees felt weak as she sat down, cursing her current predicament.

"God why—?!" Sakura cursed. _"Please come back alive. Both of you."_

* * *

In contrast to the Imperial base, the defense forces gathered at Akua Harbor looked glum. Not even the sight of the Alexander docking and unloading its Gunbluster force were enough to rejuvenate their spirits. They needed to hold the line until the rest of their reinforcements arrive and with their forces outmatched and outnumbered, it wasn't looking very good.

Due to her mechanic and grave robber background, Kiminari had taken Alyx with him to help with the repairs and renovation of the harbour's Zoids. The two of them worked tirelessly alongside the other technicians, pulling in long hours in order to get each and every Zoid battle-ready tomorrow.

"Thanks for the hard work!" A young female operator greeted the two as they sat near a bunch of weapon crates having just finished work on ten Shield Ligers in the past three hours. The operator had brought them some bread and water which she placed on one of the smaller boxes.

"Thanks!" Alyx smiled as she immediately dug in the meager rations given to them.

"It's no trouble. Without your help, we probably wouldn't even be done with ten percent of this base's Zoids!"

"Yeah? Well, job's not over yet." Kiminari spoke up. "There's a couple of Zoids in Hangar G that's been giving the other mechanics a lot of trouble. I need to head out there after this."

"More work huh?"

"Yep." Kiminari sighed, taking the bread in his hands.

"It's going to be a big battle huh?" Alyx mutters under her breath as she glances up to see her Liger Zero being outfitted with another CAS armor. Green heavy armor pieces lined up her Zoid while a giant pair of guns was in the process of being lowered to fit into her Zoid's back.

"Panzer armor huh?" Alyx noted.

"You'll be carrying forty percent of our battle group's artillery and ammunition. Make sure you don't waste it." Kiminari tries to instill some fighting words in his comrade but was only greeted with silence. "Your previous missions were all up against Zenebas unmanned BLOX. Think you can handle the stress of fighting manned opponents this time?"

"Back at Kalanes City, we had to deal with the bandits and raiders. I have…killed people even back then. We had no choice after all. It was either us or them." Alyx explained with a long sigh. "God knows that logic was the one that got us into this whole mess."

"I see."

Alyx stands up, stretching her arms. "Well, this will be my first time fighting a massive army though. Admittedly, I am very nervous. I'm about to become a mass murderer after all!" She nearly screams it out loud, echoing across the wide hangar. "Ooohh! Damn, I needed to get that out!"

"Sucks to be you huh? I wouldn't know how to relate. I'm a mechanic and scientist. I don't kill people. You guys…do that for us." Kiminari stands up as well, placing a comforting hand on the nervous pilot's shoulder. "Come with me to Hangar G. I'll show you something cool."

"Sure." Alyx nodded and followed the older mechanic to the large hangar.

"Relax kid. It's just like playing a video game. Only with live ammunition and no restarts."

* * *

 **Writer's Note:** Chapter 14 is here! The deep breath before the plunge. Events here are loosely connected with the Liger Zero Phoenix supplemental story.

Special thanks to Ashten_Pyrono for the kind words!


	16. Chapter 15 - The Battle for Akua Harbor

_(Disclaimer: I do not own the Zoids franchise. Copyright goes to Tomy for making this fantastic series. All I own are this story, its characters and some concept Zoids that might appear.)_

 **Zoids: Lost Eden**

 **Chapter 15: The Battle for Akua Harbor**

* * *

The Remnant Army's assault started at noon.

A long-range bombardment by Cannonry Molgas heralded the start of the attack, raining gunfire on the Helic defenses before their initial advance force could be spotted. The dust and fumes from the attack provided the advance forces consisting of Merdas and Heldigunners some form of cover as they poured in, strafing the enemy with small-scale gunfire as they charged.

Rallying together several guerilla units and anti-Imperial resistance pockets to form Akua Harbor's defense regiment, the Alexander was only able to muster two hundred and fifty Zoids, leaving them badly outnumbered by the Remnant army.

Their formation was pretty straightforward: Old generation Shield Ligers and urban combat Command Wolves made up the bulk of the front line, supported by Arosaurers and Godos which were dispersed across the various structures that makes navigating the harbor by large Zoids rather difficult. The Shield Ligers' E-shields sponged up most of the damage while the Wolves returned fire using their rocket guns.

Further back was the Cannoneer Gordos unit; Helic's previous mainstay command Zoids equipped with the powerful Supercannons raining heavy artillery, blanketing the Imperial army. They were supported by more Arosaurers serving as guards lest the Imperial army get too close. Closest to the docks with their backs directly turned to the open water was the Gunbluster force while the Alexander itself was half-submerged in the sea; the last line of defense due to lacking aquatic Zoids that can pursue the Imperial army should they make it to the water.

 _BANG! BANG!_

The Gordos roared as their backs strained from the recoil of the massive weapons, blanketing the Empire Army's smaller Zoids which have now started to break off to avoid being wiped out in a single shelling. This however, makes them easy pickings for the Shield Ligers who tore the smaller Zoids apart with their powerful claws and jaws.

"Hydrarchos, do you copy? We're getting bombed out here! Requesting backup!" A Heldigunner pilot relays to the base.

" _Copy that. Flyers on the way."_

From the skies descended a dark mass of Zabats, headed straight for the Gordos in an attempt to bomb the artillery Zoids. Taking notice of this, the Arosaurers sprang up, trying to shoot the flyers down with their beam cannons. The Zabats however, merely twirled and danced their way around the bolts, closing in on their slow-moving targets.

"These Gordos are toast!" A Zabat pilot cheered as the lumbering stegosaur now came within range.

 _BAAAAAAMMM!_

Before they can deploy their bombs however, powerful blasts of concentrated energy zipped past their formation. Those in the direct path of the massive bolts were disintegrated nearly immediately while those in the vicinity were instantly disabled by the shock, making them easy targets for the Arosaurers' beam volley.

"Mayday! Mayday! Zabat platoons 1 to 4 shot down! Enemy has deployed—AAAHHH!" A surviving Zabat tries to retreat but was immediately shot down. Before it died, it was able to send an image of the Zoid that annihilated their unit. A green Liger appeared before the Hydrarchos' command center.

Alyx's Liger Zero Panzer. The green lion roars in defiance as it moved further forward, reinforced by five Command Wolf LCs.

* * *

From inside the Hydrarchos, Ash oversaw the battle taking place. The smaller Imperial Zoids were being eaten up by the Gordos' heavy artillery and the Shield Ligers while half of their Zabats were shot down by the Panzer's hybrid cannons. Nonetheless, their fighting force still remained higher than the Republic's. Sending their troops out in waves proved to be a good call.

"First wave, pull back! Red Troops march forward! Rain suppressing fire on those Shield Ligers and force them back!" Ash yells out with his troops immediately responding. The Merdas and Heldigunners immediately turned tail and ran while the Red Horns started their advance, blasting their linear cannons at the blue felines to prevent them from giving pursuit. Their heavier armor also prevented them from being eaten up by shrapnel from the Gordos' artillery fire though the ones that took a direct hit were nonetheless destroyed.

Sakura was watching the battle from the Hydrarchos' holding area. Her eyes immediately caught sight of the Liger Zero Panzer.

"Alyx…" She muttered.

* * *

"Thirty Zoids shot down…Not bad…" Alyx muttered as she tries to calm herself down. She could feel her heart beating fast as the Zero Panzer moved further out front; a combination of concern and anxiety enveloped her being.

" _You're doing great kid! Now try to take out those Red Horns! Hybrid cannon but burst-fire only! Save our ammunition for the bigger guys when they pop out!"_ Kiminari instructed from the hangars, providing Alyx with much needed support.

"Roger!" Alyx peers into her targeting system, taking aim at a small window in-between two Red Horns. "Firing!"

 _BAAAANG!_

The massive energy bolts flew, zipping past the allied Shield Ligers and into the advancing Red Horns, disabling at least two of them as the strong shockwave sends them back.

" _Very good!"_ Kiminari cheered as he watched the two Styracosaurus go down in flames.

"Any word on getting the big guy up? I have a feeling we're going to need him soon!" Alyx asked, referring to the Zoid they worked on in Hangar G.

" _Give us a few seconds. We've just finished jumpstarting the OS."_ The master technician explained.

"Alright!" Alyx replied, taking aim at two more Red Horns.

 _Growl…_

The Zero Panzer suddenly stepped back though, feeling an uneasiness in its paws. Likewise, Alyx felt a chill run over her spine. "Hmm…? What's the matter Zero? You sensing something?"

 _Rumble…_

"Hey Kiminari? Do you guys feel something over there? Zero's picking up some kind of tremor on the ground." She relays back to the hangar.

" _Now that you mention it…"_ Kiminari glanced back. Some of the overhead lifts were swaying though there's no wind inside the hangars. _"Don't tell me—!"_

 _BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!_

In an instant, two powerful beams of light suddenly burst from the harbor floor on the east and west sides, wiping out the Arosaurer units stationed over there. Blue and red Scorpions emerged from the opening and started making their way over to the Gordos.

" _D-Death Stingers! Captain! We've got big trouble!"_ Kiminari immediately relays to the Alexander as the sight of the terrifying scorpions causes the hangar to descend into mad panic.

* * *

" _We've sprung the trap! Making our way to the objective now!"_ One of the Death Stinger's pilots reported in.

"Good. If you can take out the Gordos raining fire on our troops, Helic's front lines will crumble." Ash nods in satisfaction. The plan worked out perfectly. A distraction laid out by the initial wave and Red Horns followed by the sudden emergence of the Death Stinger unit. The Stealth Stinger however, remained hiding in the shadow.

"That said, our biggest obstacles now would be—" Zhou cycles through the battle images while Ash kept his gaze fixed on the battle scenario.

"That Liger Zero Panzer, the Gunblusters and that accursed carrier." He lists them all down for Zhou's convenience. Gunfire was suddenly heard from the intercoms. The Gunblusters have started to move forward to face the deadly Scorpion Zoids while the Gordos started its slow retreat. "Speak of the devil…"

"They respond fast." Zhou added.

"True. But now the Zoids on the front line do not have the cover of their heavy artillery. It's time." The Captain opens two new channels. "High-speed force, move in! Kong force, reinforce our Death Stingers! Take out those pathetic armored Zoids!"

" _Roger!"_ The Iron Kong pilots roared with much enthusiasm.

"Showtime!" Vishna likewise roars as she and her Sabre Tiger swooped in with the high-speed force, nimbly jumping over the Red Horn carcasses that has started to litter the field. The Tigers growled angrily at their Liger enemies as they closed in, guns blazing. The remaining Red Horns did not let up on the covering fire, bombarding the enemy E-shields in an attempt to crack it.

" _The Death Stinger force have now come face to face with the Gunblusters. They're held up by two Gunblusters each. Should I surface now?"_ Seral suddenly appears on the comms, asking for instructions.

"Not yet. The Iron Kong will handle those Gunblusters. In the meantime, I have a different target in mind for you." Ash clarified, his gaze still fixed on the battle on the screen. "The sight of those Iron Kongs will surely dent the morale of our enemy. They'll have to get rid of them fast before the Gunblusters break. So, they'll have no choice but to send in—"

"The Liger Zero Panzer…" Sakura gasped.

"Redler formation!" Ash calls out to their secondary aerial division. "Ready the unmanned bombers."

"Seral!" Sakura calls over to her friend. Seral stares at her for a moment. "Be—careful out there."

Hearing this, Seral manages a small chuckle. _"I'll be fine. When we're finished, us three will go out to dinner. My treat."_

* * *

The appearance of the Sabre Tigers has forced the front line to fight in close range combat while the Iron Kongs broke the harbor defense's collective morale as they swooped in, trampling almost any Zoid they send out to oppose them. Desperate to hold out, some of the Shield Ligers leapt up at the Gorilla Zoids, bearing their laser fangs down on the enemy's thick armor despite the Kong's sheer size advantage. They were tossed aside, stomped and shot at. A Shield Liger was torn in half when two Iron Kongs took it by the legs and pulled it apart. Nonetheless, they kept at it. Two Shield Ligers managed to bring down one Iron Kong only to be faced with the Sabre Tiger unit.

" _We're losing Ligers—!"_ Kiminari calls out to Alyx, spotting three Iron Kongs heading towards the Gunblusters pinning down the Death Stinger. _"Alyx! Over there! Bring them down!"_

Without another word, Alyx changes her target to the large gorilla Zoids. Needing firepower higher than normal to break through the Imperial Zoid's armor, she increases the hybrid cannon's voltage. Fortunately for her, the Iron Kongs made the mistake of running too close to each other in their chaotic frenzy. One shot was all she needed.

 _BAAAAAMMM!_

The hybrid cannon fired and immediately obliterated the three metallic apes thanks to Kiminari providing accurate coordinates and instructions. The Gunblusters on the east side will hold out longer at least for a few more minutes.

"Iron Kongs shot down! But my hybrid cannon is all hot and red. It'll need to cool down first before I can fire it again." Alyx updates the technician, her body drenched in sweat as the temperature inside the cockpit rose slightly higher than normal.

" _That's alright. Captain will take care of the ones headed in the west."_

"The—Captain?"

 _SPLASH!_

From behind, the Alexander ascends from the sea, rising high above the chaotic battleground. Adjusting its aim slightly, it brings its Supercannons down on the enemies below, raining large-caliber fire on the Iron Kongs headed to the west side.

"Forward slowly! We'll have to reinforce the troops on the front line while the Gordos gets into position!" Eleanor barks her orders as the massive Hammer Kaiser inches slowly to the front.

" _Hydrarchos, target sighted! Bring down the rain!"_ An Iron Kong transmits back to the science vessel.

" _Copy that Kong-5. Bomber units headed in now."_

Suddenly, another black mass started to descend from above. This time, it was a formation of Redlers. Booster cannon Redlers lined up on the sides while standard ones equipped with massive missiles on their backs gathered in the center of the formation, defended on both sides.

" _Kamikaze_ Redlers! They're headed for the Alexander!" The operator reports in panic.

"Have the aerial Zoids intercept them! Bring up the blast shields!"

Pteras Bombers deployed, shooting their missiles at the enemy with the manned Redlers intercepting a few with their booster cannons. A couple more manned Redlers flew towards the Pteras unit, slicing up some of them with its deadly laser blade. Raynos deployed afterwards to defend the Pteras but the Redlers soon acquired the superiority of numbers when the remainder of the Zabat forces swooped in after them. The suicide squad continued to fly towards the Hammer Kaiser, managing to dodge incoming fire from the warship's smaller guns.

" _KID! Use the big one now!"_ Kiminari calls out to Alyx. _"Do not let them sink the Hammer Kaiser!"_

 _RRROOOOAAAARRR!_

Upon receiving the green light, the Liger Zero Panzer took aim at the mass of flying Zoids, opening all of its missile compartments. Seeing this, the Raynos and Pteras all broke away to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

"EAT THIS! Burning Big Bang Attack!"

Missiles flew in multiple directions, heading straight towards the massed aerial Zoids. The suicide forces blew up; their own bombs going off and taking down nearby allies. The Alexander was spared for now. They had sustained damage however and was now descending back into the waters. Smoke nearly covered the afternoon sun as debris from Redler and Zabat rained on the ground below.

" _*Pant…Pant…*_ I got them…" Alyx panted, the heat inside her cockpit rising.

" _So now you're out of ammo…"_

Directly below her, a massive tail emerged; the end of which carried a sharp laser scissor. The Zero Panzer immediately backed away and started firing its triple shock cannons at the armored tail to no effect. The ground cracked and the Stealth Stinger emerged from its hiding place, brandishing its blades against the green Liger.

"Now you have nothing left to face me!"

* * *

"Stealth Stinger has surfaced. The Lieutenant has now entered combat with the enemy's Liger Zero." The Imperial operator informs Captain Ash.

"Very good. Send in the initial force to back up the high-speed force. Red troops! Break through and destroy those defense structures!" He instructed. "Kong force, send a detachment to pursue the Alexander!"

" _Yes Sir!"_ The pilots replied with much enthusiasm.

"Seral…Alyx…" Sakura muttered as she watched the battle between her two friends. Without the benefit of a Charged Particle Cannon, the smaller gunfire from Seral's Zoid merely bounced off the Panzer's heavy armor, forcing her to rely on nothing but her blades and claws to beat the Panzer. Without ammo, the Panzer only had its shock guns and Strike Laser Claws to rely on though who knows how much time there is left until its hybrid cannons recharge.

The Stealth Stinger had the upper hand. It was performing quick attacks one after the other with its claws, driving the Liger Zero further back before sweeping in with the tail's laser scissors. The green feline was doing a great job evading the attacks but Alyx was still a rookie. It won't be long until she tires out. Her Command Wolf escorts tried to provide support fire but the Stealth Stinger's armor merely shrugged it off. The Command Wolves are useless in this fight.

One Command Wolf decides to brave a close-range attack and ran in to try and grab the tail with its electron bite fangs. Seemingly sensing this intention, the Stealth Stinger's hind claws flashed forward, grabbing the Wolf in the midsection and tearing it in half. Not content, it brings the claw down on the Wolf's head as it fell, killing the pilot inside; a brutal display of power.

"Come on!" Seral roared almost as if in a frenzy. "Fight me kitty!" The Stealth Stinger advanced. The Panzer steps back. Another Command Wolf tries its luck and aimed for the blade this time but was immediately intercepted; the laser scissors cutting deep into the core before tossing it aside, following up with a salvo from its back-mounted shock guns.

"Is Seral really the one piloting this Zoid?" Sakura gasped. She couldn't believe what she was watching was the kind girl that might as well be her older sister.

"Technically, the pilot is merely a processing unit for the Zoid itself to manifest its will. The Organoid System after all, is able to grant the Zoid extreme reflexes and reaction speeds because of the mental link it shares with its pilot. Done well and this system makes the individual Zoid all the more powerful." Zhou explains, having been observing all the Death Stinger pilots since the beginning of the battle. "Do it wrong however, and the Zoid becomes an uncontrollable berserker. Like what is happening to your friend over there."

"What?!" Sakura gasps, turning back to Seral's status screens. Her combat motivation was very high and there was an almost deranged look on her face. "But how—? I mean I used a Zoid with an Organoid System and—"

"Yes. You seemed to handle it quite well. I am not surprised that you were assigned a Geno Saurer this early on in your career. Yours was powered down though." Zhou turns to face Sakura, a sly grin on her face. "The Death Stinger on the other hand—well, this is it girl. The ultimate culmination of that technology. Its output is over ten times that of your own Zoid, weapons…and system. If the pilot cannot handle that kind of power—"

"Then Seral could be in danger?!" Sakura panics. "I need to get out there!"

"Disobeying orders?" Zhou asks calmly, her icy glare not breaking even when Sakura glared at her. "Your order was to stay here and defend this carrier after all."

"But If I don't—!"

"Besides, what can you do against that monster should it turn against you?" Zhou asks. Sakura just found herself unable to answer, her hands balling into a fist at her frustration. "If she is to run amok then I say we let her. The Death Stingers have been deployed in isolated positions for this reason after all."

"So, we're just going to let them die? Not just Seral but those other two pilots as well?" Sakura protests.

"Even disregarding the fact that nothing in the harbor's arsenal right now can match the raw power of the Death Stinger, you are all soldiers of the Empire." At this point Zhou takes a step back to return to her post. "For the sake of the Empire you should be prepared to die."

Sakura takes a moment to calm herself down though anger still seethed as her body shook all over. Her eyes glanced to her newly renovated Zoid just waiting in the hangar. The Zoid had chosen her. It will follow her to the ends of Zi if she wanted it to and no military order can stop it otherwise. If she is to just get in the cockpit—

" _Huh? What am I thinking?"_ Sakura realizes. Her Zoid remained still and unmoving, secured by several mechanical arms keeping it in place.

"So, what's it going to be soldier? Your Zoid is almost ready. If you are to defy us in that right now well—I doubt if even the Captain's Dark Spiner can stop you." Zhou asks, almost challenging her. Hearing this, Sakura just sighed.

"Very well, I'll remain on standby." Sakura looks at the scientist in the eye. "Sorry for losing my temper."

Hearing this, Zhou manages a small smile. "Glad to see we're of the same mind then."

* * *

The Gordos was still in retreat while the Alexander was forced to submerge in the water again after troops of Imperial Zoids concentrated their fire upon it. The Zero Panzer was compromised by the Stealth Stinger. Deprived of their support, the harbor's front-line defenses crumbled as the Imperial troops poured in the city. The Arosaurers puts up a fierce defense, throwing everything they have at the enemy but they are easily overrun by the Red Horns and Sabre Tigers.

Having entered the center of the harbor city, the Red Horns rallied by the Iron Kongs and started letting loose. Gunfire erupted throughout and tore through empty buildings and hangars. Two Red Horns and an Iron Kong started making their way to the eastern hangars, blasting them and the Zoids seeking repair. With her Zero Panzer, Alyx continued to fight the Stealth Stinger, unable to support her allies. The Iron Kong launches a missile salvo at some of the hangars, including Hangar G.

 _BOOOOMMM! BOOOOMMM!_

Fire and smoke spewed out from the burning buildings, causing Alyx to worry about her technician friend. "Kiminari! You guys okay?! Come in! Please!"

" _*Cough* Yep. Still alive somehow…"_ To her relief, Kiminari responded. The sounds of the other technicians putting out fires can be heard from the channel.

"Thank goodness…" Alyx breathed a sigh of relief as she dodged another strike from her opponent. "I'm sorry I'm unable to back you guys up…"

" _No problem. Just concentrate on that blasted insect. We'll be fine!"_

"Really?"

" _Believe me!"_ Kiminari grinned. _"We're sending the out the 'Big Guy'!"_

Reaching a clearing in the field, the Iron Kong caught sight of one of the retreating Gordos. Adjusting its aim, it proceeds to wipe it out with a fierce salvo from its missile launcher. The giant stegosaur roared out in pain before collapsing to the ground, smoke rising from its charred chassis.

"Yeah, alright!" The Iron Kong pilot cheered when suddenly—!

 _CRAASSHHH!_

A dead Red Horn was tossed at its direction. The metal Gorilla managed to evade the collision by jumping up but as soon as it landed, two powerful shots were fired at its torso, killing it immediately.

 _RRROOOOOAAAARRR!_

The huge bellow of a massive Zoid directed the attention of the surrounding Imperial Zoids to Hangar G as a large Tyrannosaur emerged from the smoke and fire; two imposing Supercannons mounted on its tan body struck fear to the enemy that saw it.

 _RROOOOOAAARRR!_

Gojulas the Ogre roared in fierce defiance at the enemy. Helic Republic's crude experimental Organoid System Zoid immediately takes aim at another Iron Kong and blasted it with its cannons, blowing two perfect holes in the gorilla's side. The smaller Zoids surrounding it all leapt up and fired but the Ogre's thick armor shrugged it off and the lucky shots that managed to get through were immediately healed by the immense life-force granted by its Organoid System. The Ogre fired its impact cannon and missile launchers at the approaching Zoids as it caught the other intercepting units one by one with its powerful jaws and claws.

The smaller Imperial Zoids could do nothing against the fearsome Tyrannosaur, which was said to possess power ten times greater than a standard Gojulas. Catching sight of the crumbling vanguard, the Ogre begins its advance, firing salvos from its Supercannons as it inched towards the front lines.

* * *

"Gojulas the Ogre huh?" Ash's hands balled into a fist. He had not anticipated the harbor defenses to have prepared such a powerful Zoid.

"The Death Stingers can wipe it out with their Charged Particle Cannons." An operator reminded. "Shall we have them do so?"

"Negative. If they turn tail now, they'll be easy pickings for the Gunblusters." Nonetheless, Ash belays the order. "Kong force go all out against the Ogre! Tear it apart! Gerard!"

" _Yes?!"_ The Elephander pilot immediately responded, his face coming up on the screen.

"Prepare to mobilize our last wave! Overpower them with our numbers!"

" _Yes sir!"_

"Captain! Trouble!" The operator suddenly called out. Ash walks over to her position to look at the map. "New enemy signatures appeared just behind the reserve troops for the third wave!"

"What?!"

"Checking the enemy's composition now sir…!" The operator immediately brings up the image taken by their cameras. Three Blade Ligers, a Dibison and a black König Wolf appeared on the screen. "It's the Retaliation Force!"

"Damn that woman! So, she had set this up in advance huh?!"

* * *

"You made it!" Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief as Itsuki establishes contact with the Alexander.

" _Empire still has over a hundred Zoids preparing to swoop in as their third wave. We'll have to take them on here and now if the harbor has any chance of holding out!"_ Itsuki reported as they continued their advance.

"Very well. Do whatever it takes Lieutenant!"

" _Yes ma'am!"_

Back in the fight, the Zero Panzer had now been thoroughly pushed back as the Stealth Stinger continued its fierce attacks. They're so close that the sea is now visible to Seral's eye.

"Mr. Itsuki has arrived!" Alyx yelled out, relieved at the news of reinforcements.

" _Yeah. But they still have to contend with over a hundred Zoids at the enemy camp. Nonetheless, this gives us some hope."_ Kiminari replied, having retreated to a bunker. _"Try to hold on much longer! The Gordos will soon be in position!"_

"Roger! Let's go Zero! Just a little more!" Having fought defensively for a long time, Alyx now moves to the offensive. Upon evading the Stealth Stinger's claw mounted blades, she immediately leaps up, seemingly performing a Strike Laser Claw. The Stealth Stinger immediately moves its tail to intercept, sending Alyx flying back. It starts to take aim with its shock guns.

"He fell for it!" Alyx cheered as the Panzer lands on its feet and the hybrid cannon go from red to green. "Burst fire Zero!"

 _ROOOAAARRR!_

The Panzer roared and immediately fired quick salvos with its hybrid cannon.

"Wha—?!" Forgetting about her follow up attack, Seral immediately raises her Zoid's shield, managing to avoid a fatal hit. The power of the blasts alone however, has compromised over thirty percent of her shield's integrity and the Stealth Stinger skidded backwards, pushing her away from her primary objective.

"Alright, keep at it!" The Zero Panzer along with its escorts gives pursuit; the shock guns and long-range cannons firing to keep the enemy Zoid occupied.

The concentrated stream of gunfire rocked Seral back and forth inside the cockpit, despite the six-point belts that kept her secured. Her thick armor negated any serious damage but she could still feel the shocks pounding her inside the cockpit.

"Assholes…Why don't you die already!" The will of the Stealth Stinger's Organoid System flowed through Seral as she moves the Zoid forward, activating the claw's concealed guns.

"Scatter!" The Command Wolves jumped away as the Stinger opened fire, pelting the Zero Panzer with pinpricks of laser needles. The Zero Panzer flinches and in that moment, the Stealth Stinger lunged forward, laser scissors drawn. It took Alyx all her strength to pull her Zoid away from attack but just as she landed, the Stealth Stinger's shock guns fired, sending her Zoid crashing across the harbor floor.

"Ahahaha!" Seral guffawed as she watched the green lion get thrown back like a rag doll. Entering some sort of frenzy, the Stealth Stinger advanced, faster this time, its mandibles showing signs of glee at the prospect of killing the downed Liger.

"Shit! Get up Zero!" Alyx yelled out as the Liger Zero struggled to get up on its feet, the heavy armor weighing it down. The shadow of the Stealth Stinger soon loomed overhead.

 _Growl…_

The Zero Panzer let out a pained purr as it carefully balanced itself on all four legs. As it looked up however, the Stealth Stinger already had its laser scissors raised, aimed at the Panzer's cockpit.

"DIE!"

Alyx immediately shuts her eyes. It was the only thing she could do as the image of the blade shattering the Liger's canopy and piercing her flesh started to fill her mind. She closed her eyes awaiting this lethal blow as the Liger Zero gave out one last roar against its enemy.

Yet the killing blow never came.

* * *

"Merdas, Heldigunners and some Sabre Tigers. Everyone, look alive!" Itsuki commanded as the Retaliation Force charged the enemy formation dead center. The three Blade Ligers were up front with Itsuki's Blade Liger Mirage at the center, forming a white tipped spear directed at the Imperial formation. Their E-shields drawn, they shrugged off the enemy's small-scale fire while Kiro's Dibison and Alta's König Wolf followed closely behind, lacking shields of their own. Their unit closed in and the Blade Ligers further split up to prevent their laser blades from entangling with each other's.

"Hiiiyaaaahhh!" It was Janus who draws the first blood, easily decapitating four Merdas. As he passed, he immediately makes a sharp turn left, catching five more in the path of his Liger's deadly swords.

"Firing!" On the other hand, Rio only managed to strike down two Heldigunners with her initial blade charge before immediately switching to her pulse lasers and attack boosters to start shooting at the larger Sabre Tigers.

"Damn girl, that's a Blade Liger! B-L-A-D-E! You're supposed to use it in melee!" Janus teased, having taken out a Sabre Tiger himself.

"Sorry! But I'd rather be safe! Plus, you're just saying that because I have better aim than you do!" Rio retorted, still launching a volley at the approaching enemy Zoids. Up above them, more reinforcements from the third wave were coming in. This time, they were reinforced by an Iron Kong Mk. II.

"Kiro! Light up those bastards!" Itsuki relays to Kiro. "Janus and Rio! Let's bring that Kong down!"

"Roger!" The three pilots replied in unison as they went to their respective formations. Kiro's Dibison slows down, anchoring itself with its heavy hooves as the Zoid's A.I. automatically locked on to multiple enemy signatures.

"Megalomax! Fire!" The Dibison bellowed and powerful shots were launched from the Zoid's multiple gun barrels, completely bombarding the enemy. On the other hand, the three Blade Ligers made their way to the Iron Kong. Itsuki's Mirage took the lead as it activated its attack boosters while the two lined up behind him to take advantage of the slipstream. The Iron Kong was barreling towards them, firing its missile launchers though their erratic maneuver prevented any fatal hits. As the two sides closed in to clash, the two Ligers suddenly leapt up and intercepted the Kong's hardened knuckles with their laser fangs, giving Itsuki's Liger a window of opportunity.

"Now!" Itsuki yelled as the Blade Liger Mirage leapt up; its claws burning with a bright orange. "Strike Laser Claw!"

 _SKRIIIIITTT!_

The Blade Liger's claws rip apart the Kong's canopy, exposing the pilot to the superheated claws, killing him. Without a pilot and its knuckles, the Kong falls down to the ground, unable to battle. The rest of the smaller Zoids were mopped up by Dibison's firepower and the Wolf's covering fire.

"How many are left?" Itsuki asked, rallying the two other Ligers with him as they met up with the Wolf and the Dibison.

"Around three hundred enemy Zoids." It was Alta who responded after a quick scan with her Zoid's headgear. "And around a hundred left on our side."

Itsuki's Liger turns to the battlefield. The Shield Ligers have congregated towards Gojulas the Ogre forming a tight point defense while the Command Wolves' rate of fire has tripled as they continued to hold back the Imperial advance. Seeing the Republic's old guardian back in action seems to have lifted their morale. The Imperial forces are sending in their Iron Kongs towards the Ogre's formation, determined to bring the massive Zoid down.

"The Ogre's holding out marvelously." Rio commented. "But if those Iron Kongs surround it, it's sure to fall down. Not to mention a huge bulk of the third wave is still heading for them."

 _BAM! BAM!_

A salvo of gunfire was shot at the Retaliation Force's position and the Zoids immediately scattered to avoid any direct hits. Turning around to look, the group saw Gerard's Elephander making its way towards them with a small group of Imperial Zoids acting as escorts.

"Cowards! Attacking from behind!" Gerard screamed out as the Elephander charged their unit, guns ablaze.

"Says the guys scuttling around Zenebas' shadow…" Janus scoffed. "If it's a fight you want then I'll give it to you!"

"Alta! Take Rio and Kiro with you and head on over to Akua Harbor to reinforce their defenses! Me and Janus will take care of the guys here!" Itsuki barked out as his Blade Liger charges the Elephander head on.

"You'll be overwhelmed if they recall their forces!" Alta protested.

"I doubt it. My guess is that they'll see us as a distraction and only send a handful of guys to take care of us. The important objective after all, is at the harbor. Go! Those people need you more than we do!"

"Got it!" Alta replied as the König Wolf broke off into the western path. "You guys follow me!"

"Roger!" The Dibison and Blade Liger follows suit. In the meantime, the two remaining Blade Ligers draws their blades as they charged their larger opponent.

"Glad to see we're of the same mind on this sir!" Janus calls over to his leader.

"Been in many duels before?" Itsuki asked.

"Just a few brawls." Janus replied. "Mostly with Kiro."

Itsuki chuckled. "That's good enough." He now turns to Naruse in the back, looking a little pale and on the edge. "You alright back there?"

Hearing this, Naruse merely nodded. "I'm fine…the ride's just a little…bumpy…"

"Hahaha! Well—" The Leomaster now turns to the Elephander. "Things are about to get a lot wilder! Attack!"

The Blade Ligers' blades clashed with the Elephander's tusks. Putting all power into its neck muscles, the Elephander sends the Liger pair back with a great shove. Janus struggled to reorient himself but Itsuki manages to stay calm and use both the attack boosters and regular boosters to reorient himself and fire at the Elephander's gun turret, blowing it cleanly off the Zoid's back.

"Not bad!" Gerard grunted as the Elephander reels back from the blast.

"Heh!" Itsuki flashes him a cocky grin. The Blade Liger Mirage roars, taunting its larger opponent.

* * *

"The Elephander is surrounded!" The operator reports from the command room.

"I can see that!" Ash barked back. Left with no other option, he turns to exit the room. "I'm heading out!" He informs the crew as he descended from the command room. "Deputy, you're in charge! Kong-7, take command on the front lines! Report to me every development!"

" _Yes sir!"_

"Zhou! Prep my Dark Spiner for launch!"

"It's ready!" Zhou answers back, the younger Guylos pilot still stewing by her side. The aging captain passes by the two girls as he makes his way towards his Zoid. He pauses for a bit to glance at the young Lieutenant. "I could use some backup."

"Yes sir!" Sakura replied with much enthusiasm.

"Zhou! Lend her your Geno Saurer for now." Ash commanded, puzzling both soldier and scientist.

"So, you're not deploying it yet?" Zhou asks.

"Not without proper testing I'm not. The last thing I need is to be stationed beside another berserker no one can control." Realizing Sakura is still with them, he immediately explains. "That is to say I don't have faith in your piloting Lieutenant but at this point, we just can't take any risks."

"Yes sir." Sakura nods. "I completely understand."

Hearing this, Ash manages a smile. "Good. I'll head out first. Lieutenant, stand by and when I give the signal, launch!"

"Yes sir!"

* * *

"This guy is tough!" Janus grits his teeth as the Elephander charged him, brandishing an energy sword emitted from the ESCS attached to its trunk. The Elephander's ears drops down, firing a salvo of missiles which Janus immediately shoots down with his pulse lasers.

"Hang on kid! I'm coming!" Itsuki immediately finishes off a Sabre Tiger pinning him down with a quick swipe of his laser claws to the torso, dismembering the Tiger's hind leg. As he approached however, his sensors blared, informing him of an enemy approaching from the sky as a large shadow suddenly passed.

"Lieutenant look out!" Naruse points up. Above, the underside of a Whale King drifts by and a theropod Zoid drops down, forcing Itsuki to jump away from the impact. As the dust cleared, the Dark Spiner rears its head, roaring angrily at the white Liger.

"That sneak attack was excellent, enemy commander! But this ends now!" The Dark Spiner charged, its fangs glowing with electrical energy. Naruse however, recognizes the voice of its pilot.

"Captain Ash?"

"Go!" The Blade Liger roared and deployed its right blade, catching the Spinosaur's lethal bite and sending it staggering back with a quick boost from its attack boosters. Janus's black Blade Liger rallies over to his side while Gerard slips over to the Dark Spiner's side with his Elephander.

"Need some help boss?" Janus calls out.

"Appreciated." The Blade Ligers sprint forwards. "Let's get them!"

* * *

Before the Stealth Stinger could bring down its killing weapon, heavy gunfire rained on its tail, causing it to stagger back, halting its attack on the downed Liger.

"Reinforcements?" Seral muttered as she looked up at the source of the shells only to see four laser claws diving straight at her. Tugging on the control sticks, the Stealth Stinger further retreats backwards but the claws still dug in through the armor on her claws, damaging the firing mechanism of its guns. "What the hell—?!" Seral cursed as she turned to see what had gotten her.

Another Liger Zero positioned itself in-between the Liger Zero Panzer and the Stealth Stinger, this time colored in blue. That alone was not surprising. What caught Seral off-guard was the fact that this Liger Zero came from the sky.

" _Panzer pilot, do you copy? This is Ray Gregg of the Disciplinary Force!"_ The other Liger Zero's pilot calls out to Alyx.

"Disciplinary Force?" Alyx wondered as her own Liger finally manages to balance itself, shaking its body a little bit to remove the dust that settled during its crash. The image of a black-haired pilot appeared on her channel.

" _You don't look military. Mercenary, perhaps?"_ The pilot asked.

"Something like that, I guess? Yeah. Mercenary. That's what Eleanor said too."

" _Captain Eleanor huh? Understood. Updating IFF."_

"That is—" Alyx's jaw nearly dropped in awe upon seeing the brand-new armor donned by the blue Liger Zero. For starters…it had blue wings.

" _Our new CAS unit. The BLOX-CAS Unizon, Liger Zero Phoenix!"_ The Zero Phoenix roared as the pilot Ray declares his Zoid's name.

"Cool…!" Alyx was dumbstruck. The Zero Phoenix glared at the Stealth Stinger; its eyes showing hints of deadly recognition.

" _I'm taking this Zoid down. Panzer pilot, cover me!"_ Ray Gregg barked from inside his Liger Zero.

"Roger!" Alyx responded, immediately firing a salvo from her shock guns.

" _Let's go! Zero Phoenix!"_

"Where did this Zoid come from? Still, I'll shoot you down!" Seral grits her teeth as the Stealth Stinger prepares to meet its winged opponent. From her sides however, large imposing shadows loomed over the harbor as massive gray ships successfully managed to dock.

The Republic's main army has arrived.

* * *

 **Writer's Note:** Chapter 15 is up! First large battle is now underway~

I'm a little iffy as to how the Organoid System actually works in the Battle Story. Liger Zero's Fanbook translation mentions something about the System forcing the Zoid into some kind of frenzy in order to replicate their original fighting instincts. Gojulas Giga's Fanbook mentions the mental link when it described Gojulas the Ogre. I took those descriptions but also added the 'Berserker System' element that controlled Kirsche Hartriegel in the Chaotic Century manga.

Credits go to the Iron Bible and Momonga Zoids Dictionary for the fanbook translations.


	17. Chapter 16 - The End of a Fierce Fight

_(Disclaimer: I do not own the Zoids franchise. Copyright goes to Tomy for making this fantastic series. All I own are this story, its characters and some concept Zoids that might appear.)_

 **Zoids: Lost Eden**

 **Chapter 16: The End of a Fierce Fight**

* * *

The battle rages on in the harbor.

A Red Horn was thrown across the floor. Managing to land just right without damaging its weapons, the Red Horn started to fire a barrage with its linear cannons. Its opponent, the massive Gojulas the Ogre however, had raised the chassis of a dead Iron Kong to use as a makeshift shield to defend itself from the blast. Shifting its left claw forward, the Ogre fires a volley from its impact cannons, killing the horned Zoid. However, a living Iron Kong immediately moves to replace the Red Horn's earlier position. Armed with nothing but steel slicers on its forearms, it moves to engage the Ogre in melee.

 _ROAAARR!_

The Ogre takes up the challenge and immediately discards the carcass. As the Kong goes in for a swipe, the Ogre grasps both of the Iron Kong's arms with its powerful claws. The caps on the Ogre's claws spun at terrifying speeds and red sparks burned brightly as the Ogre brings the full force of its claw hydraulics at work. With a powerful motion of its claws, it cleanly tears off the Iron Kong's arms from its body, causing it to topple over.

 _BOOM! BOOM!_

Before the Ogre could even catch a break from downing one Iron Kong, another immediately came at it. Instead of engaging it in melee however, it opted for a shootout with its hybrid vulcan. Moving fast as far as massive Zoids go, the Ogre narrowly avoids the first volley and immediately takes aim with its Supercannons. The guns roared as two, large caliber shells shot out and made their way to the Iron Kong, punching two holes in its torso. In that moment, a missile volley immediately rained on the Ogre. The Tyrannosaur was able to shrug off the shots but one of its Supercannons got damaged. Ejecting the damaged gun, the Ogre turned around to face whoever was brave enough to fire at the Zoid. It caught sight of its old rival: An Iron Kong PK.

 _GWOOOHHH!_

The PK beats its chest with its powerful knuckles before rushing in. The Ogre steels itself, locking itself into place with the landers on its tail. Having closed in, the PK lifts its right arm for a punch but the Ogre anticipated the action, catching the balled fist with its claws. Wasting no time, the Ogre pulls the pink Gorilla in range of its jaws. With a mighty roar, the Ogre sinks its massive teeth into the Iron Kong's cockpit in a kiss of death that immediately claimed its rival's life.

 _ROOOAAARRR!_

Due to its decision to concentrate on the Iron Kongs, Gojulas the Ogre managed to buy some relief for its smaller allies, allowing them to finally start pushing back the remnant's high-speed Zoid force. The Shield Ligers wrestled with the Sabre Tigers while the Command Wolves and Arosaurers pushed back the Heldigunners and Red Horns.

 _BOOOOM!_

One of the Death Stingers had fired its charged particle cannon, causing the Ogre to turn around in time to see massive ships arriving on the horizon. Reinforcements have arrived.

* * *

"Now this is what I like. A good o'l duel between proper Zoid pilots!" Gerard beamed, his Elephander letting out a loud bellow as he stares down the black Blade Liger.

"Do not be reckless Gerard. These guys are not like the others we've fought back then." Ash reminded, his Dark Spiner growling angrily at the white Blade Liger Mirage in front of him. Like their own Geno Saurer, the Blade Liger is another monster equipped with an Organoid System, making it one of the Republic's premier close-combat units. The way their pilots pulled off such a daring charge against superior Imperial numbers also tells him that the pilots have tapped into the Zoid's fighting instincts quite well. His jamming blade sadly, will do him no good in this battle.

 _Growl…_

The Blade Liger Mirage was the first to move. Itsuki steers his Zoid to the right forcing Ash's Zoid to follow. They start with slow, heavy steps at first before both Zoids descend into a full sprint as the Blade Liger charges. Its attack boosters flared up, giving it an exponential increase in speed as it goes for the Dark Spiner's head. Knowing that he can't match the Liger's raw speed, Ash plants his Zoid firmly in the ground, raising his fins to shoot the approaching Liger with its cannons. With a quick maneuver to the left, Itsuki manages to avoid a fatal hit and closed in, deploying one of his blades. Ash's Zoid immediately responds by catching it with his Zoid's electron fangs.

"Tch!" Itsuki clicks his tongue as the Dark Spiner's neck muscles twist. It was trying to break the laser blade. Quickly, he fires the blade's pulse laser attachments and though the head armor can shrug such small hits, a lucky shot through the canopy could potentially be fatal. Ash had no choice but to let go and dodge. He immediately follows up with a swing of the tail however, forcing the Blade Liger to dodge as well.

"Not bad commander!" Ash commended his opponent.

"Same to you."

On the other hand, Janus was having a hard time looking for any openings in Gerard's attack. The beam sword had an advantage over his laser blades in terms of the dimensions for attack. If he tries to get in close to use his claws, the Elephander just deploys its shield instead. Unable to close in, he resorts to using his attack boosters and pulse lasers, engaging in a shootout with the Elephander.

"Come on kid! That's not nearly good enough!" Gerard guffaws as he closes in, the Blade Liger's shots bouncing harmlessly off the Elephander's thick armor.

"Bastard!" Seeing the massive Zoid charging at him, Janus backs away, putting distance between them. He circles his Blade Liger to the side, using its greater speed to outflank the Elephander. "There!" Seeing the unexposed rear, he lunges forward, intending to use the Liger's fangs to take a chunk out of the Elephander's side.

"Oh no you don't!" Immediately, Gerard repositions his Elephander, catching the attack with his tusks, sending the Blade Liger crashing on the floor with a great shove.

"Ack!" Janus grunts in pain as his body was violently rocked in the ensuing fall. "Damn this guy!"

"You're good kid. But to take on an Elephander with that Zoid? You're in way over your head." Gerard descends on the downed Liger, brandishing his Zoid's beam sword.

" _Come on, think!"_ Janus immediately reorients his Liger just in time for the Elephander to finish closing in, ready to deliver the killing blow. _"Got it!"_

"Good night kid!" The beam sword descends but the Liger immediately shifts a little to the right, avoiding a fatal blow by inches. Leaping up, the Liger's fangs glowed as they found a different target: the armature carrying the ESCS unit. "What?!"

"Hahahaha! Guess it's not only me who's cocky huh?" Janus boasts as his Liger's claws pin the Elephander's nose down on the ground; its fangs still trying to rip the troublesome weapon apart by the joints. The undue stress caused the elephant Zoid much pain and it tries to pull its trunk away, stomping at the ground as it pulls its body backwards.

"Damn punk! Shake him loose!" Gerard commanded, firing the Elephander's nose cannons as the Liger's canopy comes into view.

"Janus let go! Get out of there!" Itsuki immediately instructed, his Zoid still locked in battle with the Dark Spiner.

"Shit!" Janus immediately backs away, narrowly dodging gunfire that would've gone straight for his canopy. The Elephander waves its trunk around for a moment before deploying its beam sword again. The Liger's attack fortunately, has not damaged any vital components. "Sorry! Failed to hold it down."

"It's alright." Itsuki just nods as he stares down the Dark Spiner. "I'm going in!" Charging head on at full speed, the Blade Liger sprints, its fangs aiming at the Dark Spiner's throat.

"The same attack again?" Ash wonders as he meets the Liger head-on; his Zoid's fangs glowing with electrical sparks. However, Itsuki shifts his Zoid at the last minute to the left, deploying a laser blade in a split second. Ducking low, the Dark Spiner's fangs passed overhead but the sudden deployment of the blade had amputated the Dark Spiner's right claw.

"What the—!" Ash yelps in surprise as the Liger passes.

"Captain! Ugh!" Gerard tries to back the Dark Spiner up but was immediately met with gunfire from the other Liger's pulse lasers and attack boosters. Without his main gun, Gerard could only return fire with his trunk's smaller cannons which did minimal damage to the Liger's armor.

In the meantime, the Blade Liger Mirage circled around for another pass at the Dark Spiner.

"Lieutenant! Patch me a line to that Dark Spiner's pilot please!" Naruse pleaded with the Leomaster as the Liger and Dark Spiner clashed with their melee weapons once more.

"I am a little preoccupied at the moment—!" Itsuki protested, trying to force his blade to cut through the Dark Spiner's grip. "What for?"

"That Zoid belongs to Captain Gregory Ash! He commands this remnant army! They have to know the truth about the current situation!" The young girl pleaded.

For a moment, Itsuki hesitated. The enemy commander was at the tip of his blade. He was sure that if he pushed himself just a little harder, he can immediately turn the tide in this battle. Cut off the head of the enemy, and their battle lines are sure to collapse. However—

"Lieutenant please!" Naruse continued to plead, almost begging. "Please…"

"RAAAAHHH!" Itsuki yells out, parts anger and parts frustration. The Blade Liger charged but to Ash and Janus' surprise, Itsuki retracted his blades.

"Underestimating me now huh? You're going to regret that!" Ash bellows as his Zoid charges again, baring its sharp electron fangs. To his surprise however, the Blade Liger ducked low, allowing the Spinosaur's biting attack to swoop by harmlessly. With a quick tap of his controls, the Blade Liger's boosters flared as it rose up to tackle the Dark Spiner by the side, toppling it over.

"AAAAHHH!" Ash yells out as the mighty Spinosaurus fell to its side, the Blade Liger Mirage pinning it down from above. He tried to have the Zoid flail its head but the Liger pins it down with one of his paws. Any moment and the Liger can activate its Strike Laser Claw, killing Ash. But it didn't.

"Boss?" Janus asked, wondering why Itsuki avoided a fatal strike. Due to this distraction, the Elephander managed to break away and aim its heavy beam cannon at Itsuki's Liger.

"Elephander pilot! Lay down your weapon or I bring my claws down!" Itsuki threatens Gerard.

"No Gerard! Shoot this son of a bitch!" Ash barked out. "I will not be taken prisoner here! I'd rather die for my Empire!"

"I don't intend to take you prisoner Captain." Itsuki curtly replied. "Someone wants to talk to you."

"Talk? To me? At a time like this? You're joking!" Ash protested, trying to wedge his Zoid's head free. The Blade Liger responded by lightly stomping on the Zoid's head again, rocking the old Captain inside his cockpit.

"Watch yourself old man!"

"You watch yourself punk!" Gerard cocks his Zoid's cannon but Janus immediately stepped in front of him, attack boosters aimed.

"Captain!" Naruse finally calls out. "Captain, can you hear me?"

Recognizing Naruse's voice, Ash's brows curled into a frown. "You bitch…You betrayed us!"

"I did not betray anyone!" Naruse shouted back. "You—no—we're the ones who were betrayed! By the masked man you call the Viscount!"

"What!" Ash couldn't believe his ears. Granted, he was also having his own doubts about his masked leader but to hear it voiced out directly to him wasn't something he was prepared to accept. "No…Impossible!"

"The Guylos Empire had formally entered into an alliance with the Helic Republic. Further resistance here would be treason against Guylos itself!" Naruse yelled.

"I don't believe you!" Ash yells back. "I will not believe the words of a poisonous cunt coming from a family of opportunists who only seeks to profit from this long war! Ugh!" Ash suddenly grunted as Itsuki had his Liger stomp on Ash's cockpit once more for that insult towards Naruse.

Having the disgrace of her family thrown back at her stung Naruse. Try as she might, it seems it will be a long while until she can escape her family's dark shadow. Suppressing her desire to just yell and berate the aging Captain, Naruse takes a deep breath before she continued.

"I speak the truth Captain. This isn't my will alone. This is the will of the Emperor! The will of Guylos! Stand down Captain!"

"Damn you!" Ash cursed at the girl. He contemplated on ordering Sakura to sortie, having given her prior instructions to stand by to assist them should things get messy. However, Naruse calls out to him again.

"In that case, where is the Viscount! Where is he that I may speak to him myself!" Naruse challenges. This seems to do the trick. The Dark Spiner stopped struggling underneath the Liger's claws. Ash realized that ever since the battle broke out, the Viscount had not contacted them. The mercenary Reynard told them that the Viscount elected to step back in order to retain tactical flexibility should either of the defenses fail.

The Captain looks back at the front line. Their army is holding strong but the Republic was not letting up. Gojulas the Ogre was still thrashing about while the Dibison and König Wolf had arrived to reinforce the front line, spitting concentrated gunfire at their forces. If there was a time for the Viscount to move, he would have moved to assist them now. No. He should've moved to assist them five minutes ago.

Instead, all they got was radio silence. Putting two and two together, Ash starts to suspect the worst.

"Captain?" Naruse asked. "Are you still there?"

 _RUMBLE_

The Blade Liger backs away a bit as the Dark Spiner rises to its feet, shifting its body in order to shake off the dust that settled in while it was pinned down. It turned to look at the white Liger but the initial aggression in its eyes were now absent.

"Is this…true?" The Captain asked.

 _HUUUMMM!_

The two Imperial Zoids turned back to the battle going on in the harbor to see massive ships start their dock at the harbor. The main Helic forces have already arrived.

"Tch! This battle is lost. All forces retreat to point X-5! Retreat!" Ash barks from his Dark Spiner, ordering the Imperial troops to pull back.

"Wait! Captain!" The Blade Liger tries to pursue but the Hydrarchos suddenly swept down low; the loading bay in its mouth already deployed in order to immediately receive the Elephander and the Dark Spiner as black smoke dispersed from the sides, providing them with much needed cover.

"Stubborn old man." Itsuki draws out his Liger's attack boosters and fired two shots in the smoke, hoping to at least damage the Whale King. One shot whizzed harmlessly past the massive Zoid's guns but the other shell managed to hit a portion of the Magnesser, causing black smoke to spew forth as the electronic flight system started to falter.

"Take us higher! Redirect our weapons energy to the damaged wing!" Zhou commanded, trying her hardest to keep the massive Zoid afloat. Flying past the smoke, the Hydrarchos rose up, using all the power it has to get away from the battlefield. Sakura was surprised to see the Dark Spiner and the Elephander take the amount of damage it did against the Liger pair.

"What happened to you guys? Why didn't you call me out?" She asked as the two Zoids were secured. Ash alights from his Dark Spiner, seething with rage.

"Change of plans. This battle is lost." Ash barked out as he climbs to the command room of the still damaged Whale King. "It was lost ever since we started!"

"Then what of the battle?"

"I've given the order to retreat and rendezvous. We'll meet with them there." The aging Captain noticed the commotion inside the hangar as Zhou and the rest try to maintain their altitude. "Can we limp out of here?"

"We probably can—but we won't make it to point X-5." Zhou replied; her attention still focused on keeping the massive Zoid together.

"Kong-7 pull back now! Hydrarchos is compromised! Take charge of the forces there until we can meet up with you guys!" Ash immediately calls to a field commander who promptly answered in the affirmative.

"Seral! The battle is lost! Retreat now!" Sakura on the other hand, calls to her friend. "Take Vishna and get out of there now!"

" _But the objective is so close! I just need to—AAH!"_ Seral yelped on the other end as the sounds of gunfire peppered her Zoid's armor.

" _Seral!"_

Down below, Itsuki and Janus turns their attention to the city. Boosters at full speed, the two Ligers ran ahead, ignoring all the retreating enemies passing them by to concentrate on the remaining threats: the three Death Stingers.

* * *

"That's the order to retreat! Go! Go!" Vishna yells at the other Sabre Tigers, having just received Ash's orders. Acknowledging the command, the high-speed force immediately turned tail and started running away from the harbor instead. As Vishna turns to run however, she espied a Dibison preparing to fire its Megalomax at the non-retreating Sabre Tigers.

"Oh no you don't!" Vishna roared as her Tiger scaled the buildings in order to surprise the iron bull with a strike from above. Landing right beside the Dibison, she tilts her controls and used all of her Zoid's upper body strength to force the bull to lose its aim.

"Gah! Where did you come from?!" Kiro cursed as he cancels his barrage in time in order to focus on adjusting his Zoid's balance. The Dibison's hind legs immediately anchored itself and upon noticing the Tiger's cockpit so close to its own, flicked its head to gore the Imperial high speed Zoid, sending it flying backwards.

"AAAAAHHH!" Vishna cried out as her Zoid was tossed across the harbor floor. The Sabre Tiger tries to stand up but the Dibison was not having it.

"No, you don't!" Kiro brings his Zoid to full speed and rams the Tiger with its horns, sending it crashing down again. Not content, it began to trample the helpless Zoid, kicking it with its hooves as it ran across the battlefield. The Tiger's armor cracked and weapons flew off in every direction before both Zoids stopped upon reaching an isolated section in the harbor. Wanting to finish it off now, Kiro had his Dibison step back. Anchoring itself, the gun barrels on the Dibison's back moved, aiming directly at the Tiger's undefended core.

"Shit!" Vishna yelps in panic as she tries her Zoid's controls again. No response. She looks to the side to see the bull's guns starting to glow. In that instant, survival instincts took over.

She opened her cockpit and stepped out.

"Wha—?" Kiro was taken aback by the sudden move. A silver-haired girl emerged from the Sabre Tiger's cockpit with her hands up though she kept a sharp, almost murderous glare at his Zoid. Her bright eyes reminded Kiro of a cat for some reason.

" _Oh right! I need to take her in."_ Kiro suddenly remembered as he snapped back from staring at his apparently, female opponent. Lacking any handcuffs, he elected to use a utility rope he has inside the cockpit. Before exiting however, he leaves a verbal command to his Zoid.

"If she tries anything funny, shoot her."

* * *

The Gunblusters put up a difficult losing battle against the Death Stingers. Holding out with their powerful shields kept them safe from the charged particle cannon assaults but engaging the monster in melee was very difficult for the lumbering Zoids. They bit hard at the Death Stinger's claws in a desperate effort to hold it back. Their guns fired and though their attacks managed to knock out the Death Stinger's shock guns, the rest of the shots bounced off harmlessly over the massive Zoid's armor.

 _CRASH!_

One of the ankylosaurs was finally toppled over, exposing its undefended underside to attack. The Death Stinger activates its charged particle cannon and in one massive beam of light, the Gunbluster was completely disintegrated. Its companion managed to hold out with its powerful E-shield.

 _HMMMMMM!_

An approaching ship finally docked near their position. The Gunbluster pilot felt a sigh of relief. Helic's main landing army has finally arrived. Their efforts have paid off. Sensing this however, the Death Stinger immediately charges in, ignoring the Gunbluster's covering fire. It arrived just in time for the loading ramp to descend and reveal a massive Giganotosaurus' head emerging from the compartment.

 _ROOOOOAAAARRR!_

Gojulas Giga, Helic Republic's state-of-the-art Zoid stepped out from the ship. It stared aggressively at the Guylos death Zoid. With a flash from its fins, the Giga stoops down low, charging at its target with Pursuit Mode. The Death Stinger's particle cannon fires and the Giga withstands the attack with its hyper E-Shield. Still, that managed to temporarily blind the Gojulas Giga and stop it from coming closer. When the light dissipated, the Death Stinger was nowhere to be found. The Giga rises to combat mode, its massive head turning side to side to catch a glimpse of the elusive Zoid.

 _SHRIEEEEEKKK!_

Behind the Giga, the Death Stinger sprang up, latching on to the Giga's back. Its claws proceeded to hack at the Giga's Supercannon attachments as the massive Zoid thrashed around in pain at the Scorpion Zoid's attack. Having taken away the massive guns, the Death Stinger prepares to fire its charged particle cannon at point blank range: an act that will kill not only the Giga but the Death Stinger as well. However, it had been a very desperate battle and whether through the influence of the Organoid System or the pilot's own conviction, the pilot was prepared to destroy himself if it meant taking out the entire transport ship. The cannon prepares to fire.

 _BAAAAAM! BAAAAAAM!_

Suddenly, gunfire rained at the Zoid's particle gun turret, cutting it off from its energy source before it can fire. The Gunbluster managed to reorient itself and opened fire, fulfilling its duty to defend the Helic landing army. With a mighty shift of its shoulders, the Giga was finally able to shake the Death Stinger off, sending it crashing to the ground. Not wanting to take any more chances, the Giga's laser blades flared up and swung, impaling the Death Stinger's Zoid core through its undercarriage. The Zoid was dead.

The other Death Stinger on the other hand, found itself face-to-face with an unidentified Tyrannosaurus type Zoid. Smaller than Gojulas Giga, it was able to dodge its melee attacks well though from a casual glance, there was nothing on the Zoid's blue body that indicated any form of weapon. Taking note of this, the Death Stinger closed in. With a leap, the Death Stinger's claws swung down, aiming at the Tyrannosaur's head. Suddenly, armor components from the Zoid took off, seemingly taking on the form of a swallow and crab. Smaller guns on these Zoids fired and they immediately surrounded the Death Stinger, disorienting the pilot. Annoyed, the pilot ignores the two smaller Zoids to focus on the now unarmored Tyrannosaurus. Having moved out of the way of its melee weapons, the Death Stinger lines it up in its sights. The massive walls around the harbor city prevents it from dodging any further. The Death Stinger's tail starts to glow.

To its surprise, the Tyrannosaurus Zoid merely called back its BLOX components, cladding itself in firm armor. It proceeded to brace itself to meet the Death Stinger's charged particle cannon head-on like it wasn't even afraid of it. The Death Stinger's pilot chuckled at the poor fool and fired, engulfing the Tyrannosaurus in a brilliant beam of light.

 _BAAAAM!_

Certain of the new Zoid's defeat the Death Stinger turns away. However, as the light dissipated, the Tyrannosaurus steps forward; the orange panels on its body glowing with a vicious light. The Death Stinger was taken aback. It had survived a charged particle gun assault head-on. The Tyrannosaurus stops its advance and deploys its anchors. The Zoid's tail flares out and its jaws dropped down to reveal the gun barrel of a charged particle cannon.

"No way…" The Death Stinger's pilot muttered, unable to believe what he's seeing. The Zoid had used his attack to immediately power its own cannon. The Tyrannosaur fires back, engulfing the Death Stinger with its own signature weapon. Unable to absorb the blast, the Death Stinger was disintegrated, leaving only the husk of a tail and four pairs of mechanical legs.

Seral's Stealth Stinger was the only Zoid left among the Death Stinger troops.

* * *

" _Seral! Retreat now! What are you waiting for?!"_ Sakura calls over from the intercom as the cockpit of Seral's Zoid continued to shake under the combined gunfire of Zero Phoenix and Zero Panzer.

"The objective is right there!" Seral protested. The Organoid System's fighting spirit was slowly causing her to abandon reason for the sake of its objective. "We can still win this! I just need to get to the ship and—" Before she could finish, the Zero Panzer and Command Wolves launched another volley, further interrupting communications.

"Ugghhh!" Seral groaned as the shaking rocked her cockpit violently. "Just a few more minutes—!"

" _Don't be a fool!"_ Her younger comrade practically screams into the channel. _"Look around you—"_

Stunned by this sudden outburst, Seral took a moment to see the damage inflicted on their side. The Red Horns were almost all routed. The Death Stingers lay dead as Gojulas Giga poured in, taking down all the remaining Imperial Zoids. In the ruins of the front line stood Gojulas the Ogre, roaring proudly even as smoke rose up from various wounds it had borne from the skirmish.

"You mean…they're gone…?" Seral mumbled as she struggled to hold back tears. The Stealth Stinger's weapons droop down as the lights dimmed inside the fearsome Zoid's cockpit.

"Huh?" Ray wondered as he watched from his Zero Phoenix in the air.

"Is it…giving up?" The Zero Panzer likewise, lowers its hybrid cannons.

Turning back to the intercom, Sakura only managed a weak nod. _"They're gone Seral…The rest have already started to retreat. So…come back. Please…"_

"Sakura…" The Stealth Stinger soon steps into a clearing near the closed-off area. As Seral turns to look however, she was met with the ruins of Vishna's Sabre Tiger with the cockpit open.

The pilot was nowhere to be found.

"N-No! They got Vishna too?!" Seral gasped, a tear falling from her eye.

" _What?! N-No! You mean she wasn't able to retreat? No way! I—"_ Likewise, Sakura was also taken aback by the news. The Stealth Stinger transmitted the image, leading the younger pilot to now assume the worst. _"No…NO!"_

"You'll pay…you'll pay, you'll pay, YOU'LL PAY! MURDERERS!" In that instant, the Stealth Stinger's control panels lit up once again as it takes up a fighting stance. The Organoid System reactivated, spurred on by the burning hatred that welled up within its pilot.

" _Seral! Wait!"_

"I have to do this Sakura…If I don't…Vishna, our comrades…their deaths will all be in vain! I HAVE TO DO THIS! LET'S GO! STEALTH STINGER!"

 _SHRIEEEEKKK!_

The Stealth Stinger charged in, brandishing its laser scissor as it rushed at Alyx's Liger Zero Panzer. The green Liger immediately backed away as her Command Wolf escorts provided covering fire which bounced off the Zoid's thick armor.

"Here it comes!" Ray now opens a channel to all surrounding Zoids. "Republic Army! This is Ray Gregg of the Disciplinary Force! Stealth Stinger is still alive and kicking! Requesting backup ASAP!"

The Stealth Stinger's blade swung upwards, trying to get at the Zero Phoenix. The Panzer and Command Wolves opened fire, unleashing another barrage at the Zoid to catch its attention. Again, the scissors sprung, this time on Alyx's Zero Panzer. Alyx narrowly managed to dodge the assault but the right shoulder armor was grazed by the laser scissor.

"Objective in sight…I'm closing in…" Seral quietly muttered as she brings her Zoid forward in the direction of the Republican transport ships.

" _Seral! Retreat now!"_ Sakura tries calling out again to no avail.

"AAAAHHH!" Two Command Wolves were caught by the scorpion's massive claws. Hydraulics powering up, the claws closed in a deadly grip, killing both Zoids.

"Dammit! What's the status on that backup?!" Ray barked angrily on the intercom.

After a few moments of silence, a reply finally came. _"Copy that Disciplinary Force. Gojulas Giga task force now closing in."_

"Alright! Big guns are coming! Kid!" The Zero Phoenix descended just as the Stealth Stinger managed to catch up to the Zero Panzer once again, grabbing hold of its front legs with its powerful claws.

"Let go!" Ray grits his teeth as he opened fire on the claws but although portions of the claw's armor split and cracked, the Scorpion Zoid did not let go. It raises its laser scissor to once again try for the Zero Panzer's head.

"DIE!" Seral roars in anger as she goes for her attack.

"Oh no you don't!" Having prepared this time, Alyx now turns her hybrid cannons at the massive Imperial Zoid, locking on immediately. "Not this time!" With a flick of her fingers, the Zero Panzer's cannons fired, sending its powerful energy bolts at point blank range. The Stealth Stinger was practically sent flying as bits and pieces split from the Zoid. Its laser scissors disintegrated in the blast as the claws were ripped apart from its body when it was sent flying. The head armor finally cracked and Seral felt pieces of shrapnel impale her through the canopy.

Left with no weapons, the Stealth Stinger skidded across the ground, nothing more than a massive husk of metal with an Organoid System. The system itself was dying down; the lights in the cockpit reduced to mere flickers of color.

"W-What happened…?" Seral wondered as her vision turned red. A warm sensation has started to pool on her right side where her Zoid's head armor was cracked, exposing her to the elements outside her cockpit. She raised her left arm to take a closer look. Her uniform was torn and her hands were stained with blood. Her blood.

"This feels weird…is this my blood?" She wondered, her vision slowly turning dark.

" _S—bzzztt! Bzzt…ka…Bzzzzttt…ser…zzt…mezztt!"_ Sakura's voice rang out from the damaged intercom though the words coming out of the busted speakers were now incomprehensible. It didn't matter however. Seral's couldn't hear it. All she could hear was a shrill buzzing sound in her ears. She tries to regain controls of her Zoid but as her hands gripped the control sticks, she felt massive tremors approaching her from multiple directions; the shrill growls of Giganotosaurus resounding all over the place. The weak radar revealed massive energy signatures fencing her in and from the crack of the cockpit, she could already make out the distinct white theropods.

Gojulas Giga had started to advance and surround her. Their Supercannons dropped down and aimed at her Zoid's carcass.

"What the hell…? I'm surrounded haha…" Seral chuckled to herself. Letting go of the control sticks, she unlocks a secret last-resort panel from her dash. _"Right…I was supposed to take them all down with me…I nearly forgot…"_

Though her fingers wouldn't cooperate due to the pain that suddenly shot, Seral managed to type in the passcode to a small safe, taking out an odd-looking stick with a button.

"Ladies and gentlemen—!" Seral managed a weak chuckle. "Welcome to my last show—!" Her face contorts into a weak grin as she raises the detonator, catching the attention of the surrounding Zoids.

" _Bzzzt—at…Bzzzt—al sho…Bzzzt…S…zzt…al!"_

"Oh no!" Rey pulled back, the Zero Phoenix's thrusters taking him as high as it can.

" _Destroying target. Open fire!"_ Before Seral could press the button, the Gojulas Giga opened fire, bombarding the dying Stealth Stinger with massive bolts of fire coming from their powerful guns. Fire and smoke burst forth from the massive scorpion's body as its armor cracked and components blew off.

 _BAM!_

And then it happened. A shot made it directly to the cockpit, blowing up its canopy. Both Zoid and pilot were finally engulfed by the flames.

" _Goodbye Sakura…"_

* * *

"Communications with the Death Stinger troops…are lost." Zhou reported with a heavy sigh. Ash could only look down as the Hydrarchos flew by, passing over the carcasses of their fallen allies in their damaged cruise away from battle. He took off his hat, placing it on his chest as he gave a strong salute to the fallen soldiers.

Inside the cockpit of the Geno Saurer, Sakura remained rooted to her seat, eyes wide open at the scene she had just watched. She didn't even realize she was clutching the Zoid's throttles too hard. The textured grip was starting to leave a mark on her already calloused hands. She sadly shakes her head, salty tears forming on the corner of her eyes as the gravity of her friend's untimely death sank in.

She recalled memories of the past years she's spent with her friends; from the day they met at the academy in Guygalos up until that fateful excursion to Kalanes City. Seral and Vishna had been with her throughout her journey, watching her back as they marched through the battlefield. They've been by her side, even when its facing the Knights or the elite Retaliation Force up in the mountains.

And in just one snap, both friends have been taken away from her.

"Urgh…!" The girl seethed; her body trembling as she tried desperately to hold back tears threatening to come out like vomit. She was no stranger to death; she's witnessed many more allies fall and die around her. Going through it again doesn't make it any less painful.

"Seral…Vishna…AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

* * *

 **Writer's Note:** Chapter 16 is concluded! Things are about to get muddier. Again, thanks to the Iron Bible for Fanbook translations.

The whole harbor battle is a nod to the Republic's supposed landing from the east side of the Central Continent as mentioned in the Liger Zero Phoenix Fanbook. Heavy moment for Sakura, losing one of her friends. Doubts are now cast upon the Viscount's leadership. But that will be all for now. Until then, see you on the battlefield~


End file.
